And We All Fall Down
by osbourne20
Summary: Lies and manipulation caused Loki to lose everything: his family, his power, his magic. In the aftermath of battle and exile, perhaps empathy is the only thing that can fill the void left within the Would-Be King and God of Mischief. Loki/OC
1. Prologue: The Sentencing

Disclaimer: Not mine.

"Are you certain this is the only way?"

Frigga stared at her beloved husband, her words whispered with pleading hope.

Hope for her family.

Hope for forgiveness.

Hope for her son.

"He must pay for the crimes he has committed," Odin said, his voice strong, gaze direct. "He has never been one for brute force, therefore I believe pain as punishment will have no bearing on his conscience. We must employ his own tactics against him."

Thor stood silently behind his parents, his solemn gaze trained on the ground before him. He loved his brother, despite his wrongdoings. He also knew punishment was unavoidable, but his sibling's mind was so warped, so wrapped up in a tangle of resentment and bitter jealousy.

"Please," Frigga murmured, stepping towards her kingly husband, "have mercy on our son."

Odin glanced at her, his expression as stoic as ever before turning towards the guards. "Bring in the prisoner."

The doors at the opposite end of the court opened, the sound of footsteps echoing throughout the empty hall as no more than ten heavily armed guards led a shackled and gagged Loki towards the throne. The God of Mischief was still dressed in his armor, his black hair still slicked back, looking as elegant as always, except for his eyes. Dark circles surrounded the malachite orbs as he glared at the family he grew up with, who supposedly loved him. As the guards forced him to his knees in front of the dais, he clenched his jaw, forcing himself to take meet the gaze of each of them.

With a look, Odin dismissed the guards, leaving the royal family alone. The Allfather rose from the throne, never once removing his stare from his youngest.

"When I discovered you in that temple, so small and left to die alone, I never once hesitated to bring you into our home, to accept you as not only an Asgardian, but as my son. I was not always completely honest with you because I wanted to protect you, but the secrecy came from love and no where else. I have always been proud of you, Loki. You may not have been first to replace me as king, but you have always been my son and I reveled in your accomplishments with magic and during battle. I know you feel yourself slighted in this, but you have blinded yourself with your own misgivings."

The anger in Loki's green eyes slowly dissipated as he listened to Odin, hearing the words he had once craved to hear. For so long he had held such resentment, but perhaps now they could finally reconcile.

"But now," the Allfather continued, "now it is too late. Your heinous crimes far outweigh the mercy I could afford to give you. My once responsible, sensible son has turned into a petty, selfish, cruel child who's fantasies of hurt caused him to nearly destroy two worlds. You have hurt the only people who have ever loved you. I cannot look upon you without feeling disappointed in you. You are a failure, Loki Odinson. You are a monster. You are a killer, and you have betrayed us all. Your lies and trickery have led you down a dark path, one that there is no return from and now you must be punished!"

Loki trembled from the words being thrown at him, having never quite gotten rid of the need to make Odin proud. Finally tearing his gaze from the king, he looked to Thor who refused to stare back at him, instead opting to look straight ahead, while Frigga, his loving mother, tried valiantly to keep the tears from streaming down her cheeks.

He wanted to call out to her, to go to her. She loved him, he knew that. She had always wanted to be honest with him; she never favored Thor, but loved both sons equally. Loki would have never hurt his mother, but, alas, he did anyway.

Perhaps he really was a monster.

As he watched his mother mourn, he noticed someone else come into the room. A tall, cloaked figure glided from the periphery towards him, coming to a stop mere inches from his back.

"You have lost those who cared for you, Loki. Through your lies and deceit, you have ripped away the happiness of mortals and gods alike. Now you must pay. I take from you all your magic! Your lies!"

A bright light flashed before Loki's eyes as he felt the being's hands press against his head, the pressure building until he felt like his skull would give way. A blinding pain spiked along his nerves, causing him to unsuccessfully jerk away from the cruel grasp. His vocal chords strained as he finally let out a pained shout, muffled by the muzzle still covering his mouth. A cold sweat gleaned in the light of the room as his body shuddered violently before collapsing on the ground. Air rushed in and out of his nose as he tried to catch his breath, every fiber of his being trembled with pain, and for a moment he would have preferred to go another round with Banner's 'other guy'.

Loki felt someone grasp his shoulder and forced him back up onto his knees, his dazed stare finally focusing on Odin who had moved to stand directly in front of him.

"Find someone to care for you, Loki. Someone to stand by your side and help you. Find them without lying to them, deceiving them. Care for them as they care for you, and your powers will return to you. Hopefully by then, you will finally realize the damage you have caused to so many, and you will regret your actions."

The cloaked being grabbed hold of Loki's head again, and then everything went black.

A/N: I know this is short, but it's just the beginning. Please be kind and patient, it's been a very long time (years) since I've written anything and it's going to be a bit difficult to get back into the swing of things. I just could not get the idea for this out of my head and hope to be able to provide some enjoyment for other Avengers/Loki fans out there. Usually when I've got a good idea, I update daily, so fingers crossed that I'll be able to keep it up.


	2. Chapter One: A Day in the Life

_Thanks for all the alerts. It means a lot that people are finding some entertainment out of this._

_Disclaimer: Not mine._

Grace Stewart rolled over in her bed and stared out the window, seeing the first rays of sunlight come over the tops of the buildings. Resting her head on the pillow, she sighed, feeling the contentment of dawn.

Her world was still quiet, seemingly suspended throughout the night, but soon the chaos of her life would start. Don't get it wrong; she loved many things about her life, but she still thought it was important for her to soak up these prized moments of serenity and solitude.

As the sun slowly ascended, she knew it was only a matter of minutes before the disgustingly frustrating noise of her alarm clock sounded.

She honestly wondered why she even bothered to set the damn thing, considering she was a borderline insomniac, but more than that she was a cautious person. Risks were something she avidly avoided seeing as she just couldn't afford to lose.

Reaching up, she wrapped her slim fingers around the headboard as she stretched, feeling the creaks of her joints. While she was only twenty-seven, it wasn't always easy to just spring out of bed in the morning. Finally she pushed herself up on her elbows and rubbed her face, removing the last vestiges of sleep from her eyes. Just as she sat up, the sound of her alarm startled her and she hurriedly reached over to shut off the monstrosity.

Grace shuffled over to the bathroom, letting the tepid temperature of the shower wake her even further before completing the rest of her tasks to get her ready for the day.

Once she was set, she made her way down the hall of her 'cozy' apartment, coming to the other bedroom door. Quietly, she turned the knob and popped her head in to watch the two reasons she truly got up in the morning.

Jack and Joey.

Although only the ten year old boy Jack was her son, she loved them both dearly. There sincerely was not anything she would not do for them both. Stepping inside the room, she approached the bunk beds, first stopping at the top bunk. She gently placed her hand on Jack's shoulder while murmuring his name.

His brow furrowed for a moment before opening his eyes, staring up at his mother while his slight frown slowly turned into a soft smile.

"Morning," he muttered quietly.

"Good morning, buddy. Time to get up and get ready for school."

He nodded as he sat up, rubbing his eyes with the backs of his hands.

Knowing he wouldn't try to go back to bed, Grace knelt down to the bottom bunk and gently woke up Joey, the nephew she was raising as if her own.

While Jack was responsible, quiet, and helpful, Joey was impulsive, loud, and usually too stubborn to do what he was told. Granted he was a mere four years old, so Grace was hoping he would soon start acting like his cousin that he loved so much.

"Joey, sweetie, it's time to get up and get ready for school."

Rolling so his back was to her, the little boy pulled the blanket up over his head while muttering a simple, but defiant "I don't wanna."

_Every morning_, Grace thought to herself before trying again.

"But today's Friday. Just get through today and you'll have the entire weekend to play. Now come on, get up and get ready. We can't be late again today or that evil principal of yours is going to give me attitude."

And that was just not something she could deal with right now.

A disgruntled pout sounded from beneath the blankets.

"Let's move, stinker-butt."

She pulled down the blanket before getting to her feet, just as Jack jumped down from the top bunk, only to earn a stern look from his mother.

"I told you not to jump from there. You'll get hurt."

"Sorry," he muttered, giving her the puppy dog look.

"I don't have time to rush you to the ER because of a broken leg," she said while pulling him towards her to press a quick kiss to the top of his head. "Now get ready for school and make sure Joey doesn't take too long."

Jack nodded and took over herding the younger boy while Grace headed towards the kitchen to make breakfast.

* * *

Life had not always been so stressful and chaotic for Grace. Her childhood was normal. Friends, family, birthday parties, sleep overs, the regular stuff. No horrible tragedy that killed her parents, no freak accident that left her crazed. She grew up in an upper-middle class family in the Midwest, went to public school, was on the Honor Roll, even volunteered at soup kitchens during the holidays.

While her mother was a quiet woman who doted upon her family, her father was a strict man. What he said was to be followed implicitly. No questions asked. Thinking back, Grace wondered if he pushed so hard because he had wanted a son, but instead got three daughters. The eldest, Mary, was, annoyingly enough, a skilled ballerina. She trained endlessly, yet still managed to succeed in all her classes before graduating early and going to some fancy shmancy school on the east coast. The youngest, Lucy, was a princess. She was beautiful, charming, and so painfully self-obsessed that it hurt sometimes. Everyone loved Lucy the moment they laid eyes on her, ignoring her faults because she could be so captivating. Grace, however, was neither breathtakingly gorgeous nor, ironically, that graceful, but she held her own. Only slightly above average in pretty much everything, she never envied her siblings and loved her family. She went to church every Sunday, even sang in the choir for one year. Her life was a little slice of Americana, and she appreciated it.

Her best friend, Aubrey, was more of a free spirit, to put it lightly, but they had been friends since they were practically in diapers, so she spent a lot of her free time trying to keep their activities at least relatively legal. It wasn't difficult for Grace to pin down the moment her life veered off the course her authoritative father had set her on since she was born. It was the summer before senior year of high school. Grace was seventeen and enjoying the freedom summer had to offer. Even though her boyfriend had just broken up with her (apparently not allowing him to even second base was grounds for dismissal), she was happy. Aubrey, for once, was able to convince Grace to come to a college party with her. It was promised to be the best night of her repressed life. Perhaps she was a little too eager to spread her wings, but she accepted the invitation believing that if she wasn't impressed she could just leave.

Within a half hour, Aubrey blew her off, informing her that her and her boyfriend (when did _that _happen?) were going to go have some alone time. It was sometime after that, Grace wasn't exactly sure, when someone must have slipped something in her drink. From that day to this, she had no idea what happened to her that night. All she knew was the next morning she woke up, sticky between her legs, sore, bruised, and alone in the bathroom. Terrified and beyond traumatized, she went home and never spoke about what happened. That is until she found out she was pregnant.

The memory of telling her parents still caused her to cringe. Her mother, who was normally so caring, recoiled from her as if she was tainted. Her father shouted, his face had turned red as he screamed at her for how she betrayed their trust, betrayed God, disappointed them beyond any point of forgiveness. Grace had cried, pleaded with them to understand, she didn't plan this, all she wanted to do was go back and never go to that party.

Neither parent had any mercy, nor did either sister come to her defense, and by the end of the night, Grace Stewart was kicked out of her home, alone, pregnant, and absolutely terrified.

* * *

"Mom?" Jack asked, coming into the kitchen, with Joey (thankfully) following behind him. "Can I go to the pick-and-pull after school today?"

Grace set two bowls of cereal on the table while the two boys climbed into the chairs.

"For what?"

"Gerry promised to weld some parts together for me, and I still need to find the right type of wiring and the propeller keeps giving me trouble, but I think if I can calibrate the-"

"Jack," Grace interrupted, pinching the bridge of her nose. God knew she loved her son, but sometimes he was just too much of a boy genius. He was always building things, robots, computers, whatever. Then he tried to explain it to her and while she was proud of him for how absolutely brilliant he was, she soon didn't know half the words coming out of his mouth. It made him happy though, and she couldn't take that away from him. Thankfully, he also had the roof of the building to tinker with his toys, so at least she wasn't tripping over them like she once was.

"How are you getting there and back?"

"Bikes," he said, glancing at Joey, who was just as eager to go.

"I don't know," she murmured.

"Mom, please. We'll be back before you come home from work. I promise not to let Joey get hurt. Please, mom," he asked, biting his lip.

"Fine, but you go straight there and back. Got it?"

The two grinning boys nodded before digging into their breakfasts.

Eventually, she wrangled the two into their backpacks, onto the bus, and got them to school just in time. Rushing towards the front doors, her path was soon blocked with a slender, tall man who seemed to get entirely too much enjoyment out of staring down his nose at her.

"Ms. Stewart."

"Principal Adams," she acknowledged, trying desperately not to roll her eyes, but she could not stand this man who treated her like she was a disobedient student instead of an adult.

"Nice to see you finally arriving on time. You know punctuality is considered a virtue here at the Academy. Perhaps public school would be better suited for your boys and schedule."

Jack looked up at her, watching his mother trying to desperately reign in her anger.

"And as I've told you many times, I want my boys to have the best education possible. I know they're a few minutes late sometimes, but considering the commute and public transportation it's a bit difficult. I am sure, however, as such a distinguished educator and proponent for children you realize that it is not their fault and will in no way punish them."

"Rules must be obeyed, Ms. Stewart."

"I understand that, so if you could remove yourself from my way, I can follow those rules and get them to their classes."

"It's okay, Mom," Jack said, taking Joey's hand. "We can go from here."

Tearing her glare from the principal, Grace softened her stare as she looked at her son.

"All right, be good and stay safe."

With a quick kiss to their heads, she hurried from the school.

* * *

"Hope you brought your running shoes, it's going to be a crazy one today."

"When isn't it?" Grace replied, shoving her things into her locker before turning to her friend an coworker, Katie.

"Dr. Lombardi was looking for you, too," she continued, smirking.

"Why?"

Katie rolled her eyes. "Maybe because he likes you. I think he's going to ask you out... again."

Grace scooped her hair back into bun before leaving the locker room. Growing up, she had never been interested in medicine at all, but she needed a job and didn't have time for college, so being an X-ray technician seemed like a good idea. Turned out, it was. Despite the crazies, patients and doctors alike, she loved her job. She was also damn good at it, too.

"He never asked me out," she defended.

"When he asks if you want to get a drink with him, he was asking you out, but poor sheltered you merely said 'I'm not thirsty'."

"Whatever, he's so full of himself anyway."

"Grace, you are entirely too boring! I'm engaged, I'm supposed to live vicariously through your love life."

"What love life?"

"Exactly!"

Grace laughed at her friend and shook her head.

Entering the radiology department, they were met with a long hallway filled with patients.

"Here we go..."

It wasn't until six hours later that Grace was able to take a moment to eat. Standing in the corner of the break room, she took a bite of her granola bar and sipped a cup of water.

"I've been looking for you," she heard behind her.

_You've got to be freaking kidding me._

"Dr. Lombardi," she said, turning to face the man, "what can I help you with?"

"I was wondering what you were doing tonight."

"I have plans."

"With who?"

"I'm sorry, sir, but that's not really your business," she said, not so apologetically. What would for him to take the hint that she was not interested. A billboard, a message over the hospital PA, what?

"Why do you have to be like that, Grace?" he sighed as he approached her. "It's one dinner."

Sighing, she threw her food and water out, knowing that within seconds she was going to be paged.

"I'll think about it, okay?"

Without waiting for a response, she brushed past him and got back to her busy day.

* * *

"Drinks tonight?" Katie asked, as they were about to clock out and go home.

"Can't, sorry."

"You know, it wouldn't kill you to get a babysitter."

"I have plans," she said, using the same excuse.

"That's what you always say."

"Well I always have plans. I'll see you on Monday," Grace said, smiling as she watched her friend shake her head and wave her off.

* * *

Tears blurred her vision as she stared up at the destinations. Where could she go? What was she going to do? She barely had any money. Dear God, she wasn't even eighteen yet.

Wiping her eyes, Grace asked for a ticket, hoping and praying that she'll finally have some good luck.

But she didn't. Not by a long shot.

When she arrived in the city, she ended up in a rat trap of a motel. She was lost, slowly going broke, and starting to have morning sickness so badly that she thought she would die.

One day, about a month and a half after she moved, she wandered into a bookstore, hoping to find a pregnancy book that could quell her fears. The place was small, compared to the chain bookstores she used to frequent, but something about the tight corners and towering bookshelves made her feel comfortable. It was quaint.

"Can I help you, honey?"

Grace startled at the sound, spinning to face the older woman who was watching her with a soft smile at her lips.

"Sorry, hi," Grace said quietly, reaching up to tug on her hair nervously.

Back home, she had always been put together. Clothes ironed, hair perfected, make up done, but now... well... She didn't waste money on cosmetics, so the dark circles under her eyes from lack of sleep were showing, her hair was pinned back, and her clothes were starting to get too tight for her belly.

"Do you have books on pregnancies?" she asked, lowering her gaze to the floor in shame.

The woman's expression softened even more.

"Sure do, right this way."

Grace followed the woman silently, looking around at the books before coming to the desired section.

"Need anything else?"

Grace bit her lip and shook her head before pulling a book from the shelf. On the cover was a married couple, older than her, staring at a newborn with such joy that Grace started sobbing before she could even acknowledge her emotions.

"Oh, honey," the woman said, pulling Grace into a tight hug. "Everything will work out in the end."

"How?" Grace cried, weeping into her shoulder. "I have no money, no one will hire me, I have no where to go and my family hates me!"

"Well, is screaming and crying going to fix anything?" she asked, grabbing hold of Grace's shoulders and pulling away to meet her now bloodshot eyes.

Sniffling, Grace watched her feet. "No."

"Then how about you and I have a cup of tea, no caffeine of course, and get you calmed down. How about that?"

"Why would you help me?"

"We all need someone to help us from time to time, and looking at you, in your eyes, I see someone who is hurting. What kind of person would I be if I see another person in pain and I turned my back?"

"Normal?"

The woman laughed and began to lead her to the back room where a small kitchenette was set up.

"True, but I've always been a bit eccentric, so who the hell cares."

Grace soon learned that the woman. Betty, was recently widowed and owned the entire building. Her and her late husband had opened the bookstore years before and eventually rented out the two apartments on the second and third floors. She also found out that when Betty got something in her mind, whatever it was got done, fast. By the end of the week, Grace was out of the motel, in an apartment, working on getting her GED, and had a part time job in the bookstore.

But most of all, Betty helped Grace accept what happened to her and see it as a blessing, a notion Grace hadn't truly accept until she held her son in her arms for the first time.

* * *

Grace slowly strolled down the street and into the bookstore, walking behind the counter and tossing her bags on the table.

"Hey Betty," she called out, climbing up onto the stool.

Betty's head popped around the corner and she smiled at her.

"How was work?"

"Exhausting as usual. Did the boys get home safely?"

While Betty lived in the second floor apartment, Grace and the boys inhabited the third. Their arrangement was perfect for everyone.

"Yeah, but they were both acting really strange when they got home from the junk yard."

Grace shrugged.

"You know how Jack is when he starts a new project. It's like he becomes a little mad scientist."

"Well anyway, Jack said he'd make Joey and himself some soup for dinner, so I didn't bother going up to check on them, since I'd just be in the way."

"You know you're never in the way," Grace replied, giving Betty a soft yet scolding look.

"Since you put it like that, I'll go even more in the way. You know Meredith, who I play Bunco with, her son just came home. He's single you know, and she showed me a picture. Very handsome," she singsonged.

"God, you and Katie both," Grace sighed, running her fingers through her hair. "What is with you two and trying to set me up?"

"We love you and we don't want to see you alone, Gracie. You're a single mother, you're not dead. You don't have to be so independent all the time. Sometimes it's good to let someone in and lean on them for a change."

"But it's not just me. Jack and Joey-"

"Don't use them as an excuse. Prince Charming could fall from the sky and land in your lap and all you'd say would be 'excuse me'."

Grace laughed humorlessly and rested her elbows on the counter.

"Is it because of what happened to you?" Betty asked quietly.

"No," she responded, not even hesitating. "I've dealt with that a long time ago. It's just… if I did let someone close, it would hurt if they eventually left. _I_ would hurt, but if he broke Jack and Joey's hearts too…" she shook her head sadly, "How could I do that to them?"

"Gracie, honey, you can't stay alone for the rest of your life because of 'if's. There's a man out there for you. Someone who will be kind to you, someone to make you laugh, someone to support you, someone to complete you, but you're never going to find him unless you open up a little."

"I don't know," she muttered, staring off into space.

A part of Grace truly hoped that such a man was out there, but the cynical, practical side of her knew not to hold her breath. Where on earth would she ever find such a man?

"It's getting late. Do you need help closing up?"

Betty shook her head and waved her to go, telling her to go see her boys.

After grabbing her bags and climbing the stairs, Grace unlocked the door and went into her apartment, almost running into Jack who was sprinting to meet her.

"Hi mom!" he shouted, forcing a wide smile to his face.

Grace cocked an eyebrow at his weirder than usual weird behavior.

"Hey, buddy. Did you find some interesting stuff today?"

She watched as her son's smile became even more awkward.

"Uh-huh," he answered with a strained, high pitch tone.

"Good…"

She set her things down on the kitchen table and started for her bedroom, only to stop again once Joey was right in front of her.

"Hey Joey, how was-"

"Mom!" Jack shouted, rushing to get in front of her again. "Why don't you go sit down and we'll bring you some dinner. You work so hard, you should be able to relax."

"Thanks, but I'd like to change out of my scrubs first."

She went to move around them again, only to have both boys throw their backs against her bedroom door.

"But-"

"Boys!" she scolded. "I'm tired and want change. What are you two doing?"

She reached past them to grab her doorknob, ignoring both of their protests as she opened the door and stepped into her room.

Her hand reached out and turned on the light as she said, "Why were you both so-…"

"Don't be mad!" Jack pleaded, staring at her with wide eyes.

"Boys," she said slowly, unable to remove her gaze from her bed, "why is there a strange, unconscious man in my bed?"

* * *

_A/N: I know it's slow right now, but it will soon pick up some pace. I'm seriously trying to have a solid OFC before moving forward with the plot. **Please review**, I'm open to criticism and ideas, compliments and complaints. I'd really appreciate some feedback. Next chapter should be out soon._


	3. Chapter Two: The Man in the Wagon

Disclaimer: Not mine.

* * *

"Boys," she said slowly, unable to remove her gaze from her bed, "why is there a strange, unconscious man in my bed?"

"Because he don't fit on the couch or bunk beds," Joey said proudly.

Jack frowned at his little cousin's lack of help.

"Well… it's kind of a long story," he said, looking at his mother to try to gauge her reaction, which was in all ways not good.

"Oh, I think I have time for this one."

* * *

"Where's your helmet? Elbow pads?"

Jack dug around in their room, tossing random toys over his shoulder as he tried to find his cousin's protective gear. As soon as he found it, they could get to the pick-and-pull. His newest creation was almost complete, but just needed a few finishing touches and tweaks. The science fair was just around the corner, and Jack knew he'd win if he could pull everything together in time.

"Found 'em!" Joey shouted, running over with the items in hand so Jack could help get him ready.

"Now remember, don't go wandering off, okay?

Joey nodded, grinning widely as they went downstairs and towards the alley to get their bikes.

Although Jack was excited to get his supplies, he knew it was his responsibility to take care of Joey, but he never saw it as a burden. His mother was always so busy, and he knew she loved them, that's why she was always worrying and doing fifty things at once. Jack knew she thought she hid her stress and fears well, but he had always been an intuitive boy. Sometimes he felt bad for her, knowing how much she needed a hand, how much she struggled, but there wasn't anyone to help. Betty tried for so long, but the woman was getting older, and he had overheard her telling his mom how her health wasn't so good. Cancer, the doctors said. Jack hadn't seen his mom cry, but he heard her that night, alone in her room, weeping for her surrogate mother. Joey didn't help matters much either. He was always so stubborn with his mom. Never did anything when she asked, always thinking he knew better. He was four! Practically a baby! What did he know? Thankfully, for some reason, he usually listened to Jack.

Together they rode their bikes to the junk yard, smiling up at the owner, Gerry, once he let them through the gate.

"Your mom actually let you two come here by yourselves?" the man questioned, since he was so used to the matriarch following them here to watch them like a hawk.

"I'm ten, not two," Jack replied, getting off his bike and helping Joey dismount from his bike (still with training wheels. A baby, see!).

Gerry helped the older boy detach the wagon he had tied up to the back of his bike.

"I got to go make a few calls. Help yourselves. If you need anything give a shout, but when you're done, just make sure the gate is shut behind you."

"Thanks Gerry."

With the wagon in one hand and Joey's small wrist in the other, Jack went to go find some treasure.

Digging around through the metal playground, Joey swung a small pipe like a sword, fighting off imaginary foes, slicing through them with each valiant swing.

"Take that! And that!"

"Joey, don't climb up on that," Jack shouted, glancing at him as he dug around inside the hood of a car.

"Jack?" he called back, drawing out the boy's name in a question, "when do you think my mom will come get me?"

Joey hopped down from a pile of tires and approached his cousin, watching him frown slightly.

Jack hated when Joey asked him this. He never knew what to say, and whenever his mom tried to answer the little boy, said boy threw a temper tantrum.

"Joey, I... what's that?" he questioned, looking off in the distance and seeing a car nearly bent in half, the roof caved in as if something heavy fell on top of it.

"What?" Joey asked, but Jack was already moving, grabbing the handle of the wagon and his cousin before pulling them closer to the anomaly. "Maybe it's an alien! I'll kill it and we can be famous!"

"Joey, be quiet and wait here."

The boy was going to protest, but Jack was already moving closer to the car, his brow furrowing in confusion when he saw feet hanging off of the bent roof. Placing his hands on the trunk, he slowly pulled himself up onto the car, craning his neck to see onto the top of it.

"Alien?"

Jack jumped, nearly falling onto the ground before glaring over at his cousin. He put his index finger to his mouth to shush him while shaking his head. It wasn't an alien, just a man.

"Oh!" Joey continued to shout. "He dead?"

"Shush!"

Jack climbed on top of the roof, getting closer to the unconscious man before reaching out and feeling for a pulse in his wrist. The man's skin was cold, but he could feel the tickling of blood flow under the pale flesh.

Sitting back, Jack stared at the man. His hair was pitch black and longer, not like a girl's though. He must spend a lot of time inside, because he had no tan whatsoever. Dark circles surrounded his eyes while small cuts and bruises littered his face and probably the rest of him. Growing up in the city, Jack knew a bum when he saw one, and this guy didn't seem like one. While dressed in a black long sleeved shirt and black pants, they were slightly dirty, but not raggedy.

Either he had a bad accident or someone did this to him.

From over his shoulder, Joey's pipe poked the man right in the ribs, but he didn't stir at all.

"Joey! You don't just poke someone with a stick!"

"It's a sword!"

"Go get the wagon."

Joey sighed, but did as he was told.

Jack continued to watch the man, wondering what happened to him.

"What are we going to do with him?" Joey questioned as he pulled the wagon over.

"We'll take him to Gerry. Help me pull him onto the wagon."

The boys each grabbed a foot and began to pull with all their might, grunting with the strain as they slowly tugged the man off the car and onto the wagon, wincing when his skull slammed against the rim.

"Oops," Joey muttered while Jack checked to see it he was bleeding.

No, they were good.

"He's too big, Jack. He don't fit."

"Just make sure his head and body are on the wagon, his legs can drag behind. He's got shoes on, so it won't matter."

It wasn't like they would be going very fast.

Gripping the handle again, they pulled the wagon through the lot and towards the office at the front of the complex.

"Come on, Gerry will know what to do."

Not wanting to leave Joey alone, Jack took his hand and led him into the office, waiting until Gerry got off the phone.

"Listen to me!" Gerry shouted into his cell, "That fucker came onto my lot and stole a thousand bucks worth of merchandise! I want him thrown in jail! I want that fucking money back, and if I so much as see that motherfucker again, I'll kill him!"

The boys' eyes grew at the word choice their normally collected friend used.

Jack glanced out the window to the man in the wagon. He didn't steal anything, but he was here without permission. What would Gerry do? Would he send this man to jail too? He was pretty sure he was innocent, but adults rarely listened to reason since they always thought they knew best.

"Let's go," Jack whispered and tugged Joey out the room.

Hurrying over, Jack pulled a tarp from one of the nearby piles and covered the man before hooking the wagon back to his bike.

"Where are we going?" Joey asked when his cousin helped him onto his own mount.

"Home. We'll let him wake up, then see what happened to him."

"But what if he's an alien in disguise. He'll eat our brains, and-"

"Zombies eat brains, aliens either take over the world or abduct us. He doesn't have a ship, and he can barely move, much less conquer us."

Joey sighed, but began to follow once Jack led the way out of the junk yard.

"You say that now..."

* * *

"And like Joey said, he was too big for the couch or the bunk beds, so we put him in here," Jack said, pointing to the bed.

Her bed.

"How did you get him up the stairs?"

"The elevator in back."

"It's broken."

"I fixed it last month."

"Or course, you did," she sighed, shutting her eyes as she felt a migraine starting.

"Mom," Jack whispered, his eyes pleading for her to understand. "He's hurt. I just wanted to help."

"I know that, but you can't just pick up some stranger and bring him home! He's not a lost kitten, Jack! We don't know who he is, what he's done! He could be a criminal!"

"Or an alien!" Joey shouted.

Both mother and son shot him silencing looks.

"He won't hurt us," Jack urged.

"And how do you know that? Hmm? You said he's been out since you found him. Are you a mind reader now?"

"No, but-"

"Jack, he's not staying. He could be dangerous, and I'm not going to risk your safety based on your hope that he could be your friend."

Tears came to her son's eyes and she bit her bottom lip, knowing she just hurt his feelings. Jack didn't have any friends at school, and while it stung to point that out, she'd rather him have hurt feelings for a moment than be attacked by some man.

"That's not why I brought him here," he said, his little jaw tight as he tried not to cry. "Something bad happened to him and I wanted to help. You always say to help those who need it."

"And you did enough, Jack, but it's not our responsibility."

Grace left the room and went to grab the phone.

"Who are you calling?" Jack asked, following on her heels.

"The police."

"No!"

Her son ripped the phone out of her hand before moving back to her room.

"Jack! Give me the phone."

"Mom, please. I-"

Joey's scream cut off whatever Jack was about to say and they both ran into the bedroom. Joey stood in the corner of the room, jumping up and down.

"Joey, what's wrong? Are you hurt?" Grace questioned, rushing to his side.

"There was a spider, I kill it," he said proudly, lifting up his foot to show a sticky mess under his shoe.

Letting out a sigh of relief, Grace stood back up and turned, only to still when she noticed they were now being watched by the man in the bed.

Emerald colored eyes watched them warily as the man slowly sat up, wincing when he moved a little too quickly. His tongue licked his split lip, and Grace couldn't help but notice the way his body was moving into a defensive position. With Joey already behind her, she reached to pull Jack away from the bed, but instead he shook her off and got closer to the man, whose eyes snapped towards the boy at his approach.

"Jack," Grace hissed, not liking how the man was acting like a cornered animal.

"Are you hurt real bad?" Jack asked him, wringing his hands together in front of him.

Grace watched as the man mouthed words, but no sound escaped. His pale forehead wrinkled as he mouthed even more words, gaze dropping to the floor while he scooted higher up the bed. His hands began to tremble slightly as he reached for his throat, clawing at it while he looked like he was shouting, but only remained completely silent.

_Who the hell was this guy?_

* * *

**_No._**

This wasn't possible.

Waking up with every part of his body aching was enough proof that he had been stripped of his godliness and magic, but this was too much.

Too cruel, even for Odin.

Loki continued trying to talk, to force any sound from his lips, but through his panic, he knew it was futile.

The Allfather took his voice from him.

His mind flashed back to his sentencing, to the words his 'father' spoke to him, to the way those words stabbed him in the heart like a knife and twisted, even the way his loving mother looked at him with such disappointment, but stayed silent. Even Thor, who kept promising of forgiveness, refused to say anything in his defense.

_How could they do this to him?_

"Jack, come here," the mortal woman whispered, trying to get the child back to her side.

His gaze returned to the humans in the room, his mind pushing back his vulnerability to instead assess his current predicament.

Of course Odin would send him to Midgard, but he remembered slamming into some sort of metal before the darkness overtook him again, not a surprisingly comfortable mattress.

"We're not going to hurt you," the boy closest to him said. "I found you in the junk yard and brought you here to rest. We only want to help."

Loki frowned at the child.

There was no helping him. A failure, a lost cause, that was what he was reduced to now.

"Mom," so the boy was the woman's progeny, "why isn't he saying anything?"

The woman nearly gasped when his eyes met hers again, but she kept herself calm even though she was obviously struggling not to make any sudden movements.

"I don't think he can."

"Oh!" the boy bolted for the nightstand, causing Loki to shift up onto his knees, forcing his body to obey despite the pain.

"Jack!" the woman shouted, reaching out to yank the boy towards her in reaction to Loki's own sudden movement, but again the child dodged her efforts.

"Are you an alien?" the youngest one asked while trying to fight his way from the woman's grasp.

"Joey, be quiet," she admonished, covering his mouth with her hand.

He watched the woman, knowing she was just as wary of him as he was of them. Loki had never felt this vulnerable before, without his armor, without weapons, his powers, and certainly not without his silver tongue. It was certain he could overpower her easily, her petite and slender frame easily dwarfed by his own tall, strong form. Obviously, she knew this, but the children seemed to sense no danger from him.

The boy, or Jack as his mother called him, dug out a pad of paper and a pen from the drawer before handing it to him.

"Since you can't talk," he explained.

_Smart boy._

With a quick glance towards the mother, he slowly reached out and took the items from him, noticing the woman relaxed a little when she realized he wasn't going to lunge or attack any of them.

"What's your name?" Jack asked, leaning closer to watch the paper for his answer.

Loki leaned back a little, before putting the tip of the pen to the paper to write, but then froze. Clenching his jaw, he focused on forcing his fingers to write the letter 'L', but the pen didn't move.

Of course, the Allfather would take this away, too. Now he couldn't communicate at all.

Snarling silently, he tossed the pen and paper aside, reacting so angrily that the woman took two steps forward to grab her son.

"Mom!" Jack shouted when she snatched him by his shoulder and tugged him to her.

"Jack, that's enough. This man needs a hospital."

Loki's head whipped up and shook his head. He couldn't risk it. What if SHIELD found him? He was already being punished enough, being poked, prodded, and tortured would be too much.

She noticed his head shaking, and she sighed.

"So you know English, then?"

Loki nodded, relieved that he could as least answer yes or no questions.

If only he could ask his own.

"Okay then," she reluctantly releasing both wriggling boys, but she never took her eyes off of him. "Are you injured badly?"

Shifting his limbs, he crawled off the opposite side of the bed, before shaking his head. Sore, yes, but nothing he couldn't handle.

"Do you know where you are?"

He shook his head no, again.

"Are you an alien?" the youngest one (Joey was it?) asked.

"Joey go to your room," the woman ordered.

"No," he responded with defiantly.

Loki's lip quirked at such stubborn display and how the woman seemed to be used to his disobedience.

"You're in Chicago. Does that sound familiar?"

Again, no.

"I really think you need a doctor. You obviously have some sort of head trauma, and-"

She stopped talking considering he just stood there shaking his head.

"Well, I'm sorry, but you have to go somewhere, you can't stay here."

All three males focused in on her. Joey looked annoyed, Jack nearly betrayed, but Loki watched her apprehensively.

Of course, when Thor falls to earth he's welcomed with open arms, but no one wants him around... except for the children.

"Mom, where's he going to go?"

"Jack, I.." she trailed off, glancing between the boy and him.

Loki let out a long breath.

She was just trying to be a good mother, to protect her young. While he didn't plan to, nor was he in a position to, hurt any of these mortals, he was a still a monster.

Raising his hand, he got their attention, pointing to himself and then the door.

Relief flickered in the woman's eyes before she nodded and led the group out of her room and toward the front door.

Jack's shoulders slumped when he realized what was happening and he ran into his room, nearly shutting the door on Joey who was following him.

"I'm sorry," the woman beside him muttered, and he didn't know if she was speaking to him or the boys.

Perhaps to all of them.

When her dark eyes rose and met his gaze, he saw true, honest regret.

Why would she regret this? He wasn't her responsibility. He wasn't to be pitied. He was still a god, despite his little condition. Loki still had his pride, his dignity, and he certainly didn't need the pity of some poor mortal and her naive offspring. Straightening up to his full height, he towered over the young woman, staring down at her coldly.

But what he didn't know was Grace recognized that move. Her father used to do it when he was getting frustrated and annoyed, more with himself than with her.

"Take care of yourself, okay?"

No, he was planning on letting more harm come to him on this forsaken waste of a planet. What an idiotic thing to say.

Still, he nodded curtly and opened the door.

If Thor could navigate this planet, Loki was sure he could do so just fine, even without magic or his voice.

If only he knew it wouldn't be so simple.

* * *

_A/N: Again, thank you so much for the alerts/comments. It truly inspires me to crack open the laptop and write even more. I already have the next few chapters outlined, so hopefully I can keep updating frequently. Please review, leave criticisms, comments, ideas, or complaints. I'm open to everything._


	4. Chapter Three: Rock Bottom

Disclaimer: Not mine.

* * *

_Burn it._

Burn the entire fucking planet to the ground.

Or at least just the city.

Chicago burned once, why not do it again?

Fuming, Loki trudged his way through one of the city's many parks and found a bench secluded from the path. He threw himself onto it and closed his eyes, taking deep breaths in an attempt to calm down.

While his logical side continued to argue with his fury, Loki felt he owed it to himself to be able to rant for a while longer before he figured out what to do next.

Ever since that damnable woman kicked him out (ignoring the fact he agreed to leave her home), Loki had been suffering one misfortune after another.

On top of the fact that he had no powers and no voice, he also had no money, no where to go, no food, nothing. No temporary housing would accept him since he had neither money nor a card of credit. No restaurant would feed him for the same reason.

With no where to go and nothing to eat, Loki had tried to settle down between two buildings to wait for dawn, hoping that with a new day his luck would change. He had even managed to fall asleep for a time, only to awake just as he was almost urinated on by some inebriated vagabond.

Seconds later, he was stalking out of the alley leaving the bum in a heap behind him, unconscious but alive.

See, he was growing.

He continued to wander around the city, until he realized he had absolutely no idea where he was. His stomach growled (how annoyingly human), his body still ached from his fall, and every thought running through his mind was a curse upon Odin.

Okay, he got it. He was nothing without his abilities. Being human is hard, and maybe they all are just doing the best they can. Could he come home now?

Living in a cell with his abilities is better than this farce.

Once the sun rose on Saturday, Loki decided to just sit and watch people. Since that was apparently what Odin wanted. Maybe if he quickly paid his dues, he could leave this useless waste of a rock. Sitting near a park, he watched the small children. His lip curled at the display of such chaos. Freedom to play and they all squabble like animals. There was no order. If they formed a line for a toy, they could all play, but instead they fought over it. Some laughed while others screamed and cried. It appeared no human ever grew up, merely fought over new things in much the same manner as they did on the playground.

So completely uncivilized, and, yet, he was seen as the villain.

Soon, he was cast in that light again, when he noticed how the parents were glaring at him, murmuring about the creepy homeless man watching their babies.

Rolling his eyes, he got to his feet and left.

His Sunday was no better, as he was becoming lightheaded from lack of sustenance, his feet ached with each step, and all he wanted to do was destroy the world and take a nap.

Was that so bad?

Now, sitting on the secluded park bench, Loki took a few more deep breaths.

He had to hold onto his rage. He needed it, because if, for just a second, he let it go, then his house of cards will come crashing down.

He'd remember his mother's grief at what he'd done. His father's utter disappointment, his brother's pity.

It churned his stomach to think about, to know, deep down, that it was his own fault that he was here, mute and alone.

Completely broken.

Was this how it was to end for the Would-Be King, the God of Mischief? Dead and alone in filth?

Loki's mind flashed back to what Odin had whispered to him before he was cast out of Asgard.

"_Find someone to care for you, Loki. Someone to stand by your side and help you. Find them without lying to them, deceiving them. Care for them as they care for you, and your powers will return to you."_

But what human would help him? The family who found him? How was he even supposed to find them again?

Threading his fingers through his hair, Loki rested his elbows on his knees, gaze focusing on the grass beneath his feet.

For once, he just wanted to go home.

"Sir?" a voice said from above him.

Snapping his head up, Loki glared at the two men before him, immediately recognizing their uniforms.

Police officers, great.

"The park's closed right now. You got to find somewhere else to sleep. If you need one, we can take you to one of the homeless shelters."

Loki quickly shook his head, getting to his feet and moving away from the cops.

"Sir? You all right?"

The cops looked at him suspiciously.

Loki nodded, motioning from the bench to the officers before raising both hands up in surrender.

"Okay sir, you have a good night."

The cops walked away, leaving Loki to glare at their backs.

_A good night?_

_**A good night?**_

What a joke.

Forcing his way through the overgrowth, he tried to figure out where to go next.

How can one city have no place for him?

Loki stumbled out of the bushes and onto the pavement, taking a breath to right his clothing when he heard a loud horn. Confused, he turned towards the noise only to be blinded by two bright lights.

Then all he knew were pain and darkness.

* * *

Grace watched both boys as they ate their cereal quietly.

Silence, that was the watchword of the of the weekend. She honestly had no idea how two little boys could have such cold shoulders.

All for some stranger, someone they didn't even know.

She had tried to talk to them, to reason with them, but nothing worked. They just stared at her with those sad, little eyes and she felt like a villain. Why couldn't they see how dangerous it was to bring him here? Granted, when he woke up, he seemed as wary of them as she felt, and, sure, she was curious to what happened to him. Jack wasn't one for flights of fancy, so how did that man get onto the roof of that car?

Grace shook her head.

Despite the mystery, he wasn't their responsibility. Soon enough, the boys will get over this. They'll realize that she was right, and they'll move on; Joey will continue to fight her at every turn, while Jack will throw himself back into his… whatever it was that he did on the roof.

The clinking of the bowls being set in the sink pulled Grace from her thoughts, and she was able to get them out of the apartment and to school on time.

Hell, they were ten minutes early.

If only they could pull this off every day without her feeling like the world's worst mother.

She stood on the steps of the school, watching as Jack took Joey's hand to lead him to his class. Neither one of them looked back at her to wave goodbye, causing her heart to twist in her chest.

How could one man affect her family so much?

* * *

"She's so mean!" Joey shouted, stamping his foot while Jack continued to lead him down the hallway.

"No she's not," he defended with a sigh, "she just doesn't listen."

"When my mom and dad come to get me, I'm going to tell them how mean she is. They'll punish her."

Jack bit back another sigh.

He didn't think himself stupid or careless. Being ten years old, he knew of 'Stranger Danger'. Don't take candy from them, never go somewhere with an untrustworthy adult, blah, blah, blah. He got the message, so why couldn't his mom realize that he knew what he was doing?

He would have thought his mom of all people would help someone in need.

Turning the corner, Jack only had time to flinch back as two hands shoved him, forcing him to stumble back, but, thankfully, not fall.

"Hey!" Joey shouted, pushing the bigger kid.

Once Jack got his balance back, he yanked Joey away from the boy.

"I thought I said you had to ask permission before you could walk down this hallway. Didn't I?" the boy asked, shoving Jack again.

He stumbled, but managed to keep his angry cousin by his side.

"I have to go through here to get my cousin to class, Trent."

"So?"

Trent, who was two years older than Jack, made school hell. It seemed at every turn, the older boy was there, ready to torment him. Jack didn't know why he was Trent's main target. He never did or say anything mean to anyone, much less someone as volatile as a bully. Maybe it was because Jack was small for a his age. Short and slender, some of the girls in his class towered over him, which made gym class even more horrifying for him. For such a prestigious private school, sports were still heavily emphasized, a fact that made Jack's heart race with fear each time their fitness test came up on the schedule.

Joey didn't help matters at all either. His loud, brash cousin was willing to try to fight anyone, anytime, and any size. It was humiliating to have someone like that trying to fight your battles for you, but Jack knew what would happen if Joey got his way. So instead, Jack was bullied and never fought back, hoping to shield Joey from the mess.

But at least Joey kept his mouth shut about it at home. Jack knew if his mother found out she'd flip. No one is safe when she goes into Mama Bear mode. It's better that she just thinks he's lonely instead of miserable at school, considering how much she was sacrificing to have him go here instead of a public school.

"Can I pass?" Jack muttered pathetically, staring down at the tile floors.

"Say please," the smug boy responded.

"Please?"

"Fine, but next time I won't be so nice. Got it?"

Trent shoved him so hard this time that Jack fell against the wall, cracking the back of his head against the cinder block as the older boy strolled by him.

Tears flooded Jack's eyes, but he kept his eyes tightly shut, knowing that crying would only make things worse. Raising one hand, he rubbed the tender spot on his head as he struggled back to his feet.

"Come on, Joey," he muttered, his voice wavering in pain. "You can't be late."

"Why won't you let me beat him up?"

"Let's just go."

Rubbing his head one last time, Jack forged ahead.

* * *

"You look like shit."

Grace rolled her eyes.

"Thanks, Katie. That means a lot," she replied, putting her things into her locker before pouring herself a cup of coffee.

"No, seriously, what's wrong?"

Katie pulled her friend over to the couch to sit since Grace looked so tired she'd fall over in a second.

"The boys are mad at me. I feel guilty, so I haven't been sleeping. It's just stressful. Jack's never been like this before. Every time he's upset, he talks to me. I've always thought that that's the kind of family that we are, but he hasn't said a word to me since Friday."

"Grace," Katie said softly, "I know Jack acts very mature for his age, but he is still a ten year old boy. They pout, they get angry, they move on. You're his mother, not his friend. You should cut yourself some slack."

Grace sighed and finished her coffee.

"Maybe, it's just the silence in the house is weird."

"I bet," Katie laughed, getting to her feet. "But you got to put that out of your mind for now. It's another busy one."

Nodding, Grace followed her friend out of the room, hoping her hectic job will keep her mind off of the boys and their stranger.

* * *

"Who's next?" Grace asked Katie, rolling her head from shoulder to shoulder to stretch out the kinks.

"John Doe," Katie responded, looking at her list of patients.

"John Doe? Is that his real name?"

Katie shrugged. "I don't know, but he's getting x-rays done from his ileum to his patella. He's out in the hall if you want to bring him on in, please."

Grace nodded and left the room, heading into the hall.

Was she supposed to call for him, or what?

Turning her head to scan for patients, her step faltered when she saw a familiar form laid out on a bed.

_No **fucking** way._

Licking her lips, she slowly approached the man who had his eyes closed.

Yep, definitely him.

Same black hair, alabaster skin, regal features, but now with more scrapes. Even broken, the man was still a thing of beauty. Like that exquisite glass sculpture that Gramma Stewart used to have on her mantle. Every facet so painfully beautiful, but the instant Grace's clumsy hand brushed against the object, it shattered.

_But that was a long time ago._

Gently, Grace touched the man's shoulder, knowing how skittish and defensive he can be when startled and cornered.

His black eyelashes fluttered against his pale cheek before his eyes opened, startling her with his eerily green irises. Suspicion flashed across his features before a look of recognition settled upon them.

"You remember me, right?" she asked.

He nodded, looking around him in confusion. They must have wheeled him down to radiology from somewhere else.

"You're in the hospital still," she explained, softly urging him to lay back down on the bed. "We're going to take a few x-rays, just to be sure nothing is broken."

Stretching over, she pulled his chart from the bed, glancing over the reports.

"You got hit by a car? Holy crap… sorry," she said, shaking her head. The poor guy was just traumatized and she's standing here yelling. "So yeah, definitely some x-rays."

At his obvious confusion, she tilted her head. "You do know what an x-ray is, right?"

He shook his head slowly.

"Okay…" _where did this guy come from?_ "It's a way to see your bones, to see if there are any sort of fractures or breaks, that sort of thing. It doesn't hurt. You just lay there for a little bit and then we're done."

She gripped the railings of the bed and began to push the bed into the room, positioning him so they could get their images.

Once he was prepped, she turned to leave, only to feel a cool, but firm grasp on her fingers. Grace turned back, trailing her gaze from where he was holding onto her all the way up to his face. A heaviness settled on her chest as she stared into his eyes, knowing he was asking her for something, but she didn't know what. She had never seen such vulnerability in someone's eyes, not since she looked in the mirror the night her parents banished her.

"Grace?"

She jumped, pulling her hand from his, and turned to see Katie standing in the doorway.

"Can we get started now or do you want to continue making moon eyes at our patient?"

Clearing her throat, Grace muttered a quick 'shut up' to her friend before telling the man she'd be in the other room during the procedure.

Without waiting for either to acknowledge they understood, she bustled away from them both, feeling more unsettled than embarrassed. Unfortunately, Katie was able to follow her.

"Okay, what the hell was that?" she laughed, sitting down in her swivel chair.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I was just explaining to a patient about the procedure."

"How? Telepathically?"

"Can you please focus? We've got a lot of work to do today," Grace huffed, wishing that they could move on to another topic.

"Grace, you know it's perfectly natural to have lusty thoughts about men. Especially one as pretty as that one in there."

"I am _not_ having lusty thoughts about anyone."

"Unfortunately."

"I'm not discussing this with you," Grace said, using her 'mom' voice.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Katie complained, but gave up hounding on her friend, but instead changed topics.

"So Bobby and I are thinking Hawaii for our honeymoon, cliché, yes, but I think it will be fun."

As her friend continued to go on about her upcoming nuptials, Grace watched the man through the window.

* * *

Loki stared up at the machine, his hands clutching onto the sheets of his mobile bed.

Even with her assurance of no pain, Loki didn't believe her, so he kept waiting for something to happen.

A loud noise, a sharp pain, anything.

But instead, after a few moments, a man walked in from the hallway and grabbed his bed and pulled it back out of the room.

Loki tried to sit up, but the man pushed him back down easily.

Lack of sleep and food made him feel weak, even with the liquid nutrients being fed into his veins.

"Relax, man. I'm just taking you to your room. The doctors want to keep you for observation since you're so dehydrated."

The room spun when he tried to sit up again, so he dropped pathetically back down onto the bed, closing his eyes, feeling too exhausted to try to get back to the mortal woman's side.

_Grace_.

An appropriate name, he supposed. Despite the shame he felt for reaching for her, he couldn't help but feel relieved that she might help him again.

But apparently he was wrong since she was having him removed. He had heard the phrase 'hell on earth' before, but now he had an appreciate for the sentiment. He was living it, and he didn't know how much more he could take.

So this was rock bottom.

* * *

"You ready to go home?" Katie asked at the end of the day.

"Absolutely, but you go on ahead, I just got to check on something," Grace replied, taking her time with putting her stuff into her bag.

"You sure?"

"Yeah. I'll see you tomorrow."

Grace watched as her friend left the room before hurrying down the hall towards where the transporters usually took their breaks.

"Hey Manny," she said, approaching the large man. "What floor did you take that John Doe to earlier today?"

"The sixth, why?"

"I just forgot to write something down on his chart and I don't want to get yelled at… again."

"Oh yeah," Manny replied, looking towards the ceiling as he thought back. "Room 621."

"Thanks, Manny. I owe you one."

Once she got in the elevator, Grace leaned back against the metal walls, sighing loudly.

What the hell was she doing?

_Making things right_, her Jiminey Cricket told her.

The doors opened on the sixth floor and she stepped out of the elevator, slowly walking towards room 621.

With a deep breath, and a quick prayer, she opened the door and stepped inside, noticing that the man was awake, but stared out the window with such sadness it nearly took her breath away.

"How're you feeling?" she said softly, the noise from the hallway silencing as the door shut behind her.

His head turned at the sound of her voice, and he seemed both shocked and solaced by her presence. Licking his bottom lip, he shook his head.

Grace walked further into the room and hesitated for a moment before sitting down on the edge of his bed, close to but not touching him. She folded her hands tightly and wedged them between her knees.

"Is there anyone I can call or contact for you?"

_No._

"Friends?"

_No_.

"Family?"

His head jerked away as if the mere mention caused him pain.

Grace chewed on her bottom lip, staring at the man's profile. She knew that pain. She knew it all too well. Jack was right. She should have known better than to throw this man out of her home. Shame twisted in her chest as she realized how much of a hypocrite she had been. Preaching about helping people, only to cast out a man whose situation was so similar to what she had gone through.

She had to make this right.

"Please look at me," she whispered.

Grace only had a moment to prepare for his powerful gaze before it hit her, and for the second time that day she stared into his eyes, trying to see his true self through the emerald orbs.

"Ten years ago," she continued quietly, "a woman took me into her life and home. She looked at me and saw someone suffering, someone who desperately needed a second chance, and, while I mourned the life I lost, the one I gained was so much more worthwhile and rewarding. Now I'm sorry for treating you the way I did. I just wanted to protect my boys. Please understand that…"

The man nodded while his brow furrowed, and she was relieved her was honestly listening to what she was saying.

"But first, I need to know… is there _any_ reason at all why the boys or I should fear you?"

* * *

Loki stared at the woman, his body tense with anxiety, his hands trembling at the reluctant opportunity he was being presented. Her words trickled into not only his mind, but his soul.

A second chance.

A way out of this hell.

But… _any_ reason?

The old Loki was a wanted war criminal for multiple planets.

He was the God of Mischief and Lies.

He had killed because it was fun.

Tried to enslave her planet, kill off an entire race, betrayed his friends and family, and laughed while everything around him was destroyed.

But now…

Now he was just a man.

A man with nothing but his memories and regrets to plague him.

A man who cared nothing for power or vengeance, but only for the pain to stop.

A man who just wanted to not be alone anymore.

Leaning towards her, Loki shook his head.

_No_.

He would never hurt her or her family.

**_Never. _**

* * *

Grace nodded and closed her eyes.

_Dear God, please don't let this be a mistake._

"Okay."

With a deep sigh, she got up, grabbed the chart off the bed and scanned through the pages.

"Contusions, lacerations, but nothing too serious," she muttered, glancing over at him. "Didn't I tell you to take care of yourself?"

She smiled a little at his shrug.

_Okay, then._

"Well, I'll talk to the doctor about getting you discharged, so I can… oh, shit."

The man sat up even more, looking concerned.

"It's nothing, just… hold on."

Grace went out into the hall and asked the nurse to page his doctor to his room. Once she returned to the room, she flashed him an awkward, yet apologetic look.

"I'm going to apologize right now for the inappropriate behavior you're about to witness."

Within moments, Dr. Lombardi swaggered into the room, while Grace tried not to sneer or roll her eyes.

"You rang?" the doctor said.

"This man wants to be discharged."

Lombardi shrugged. "No can do. I got to alert the authorities about him."

"Why? He didn't do anything."

"He has no name, can't communicate, and doesn't know where he is. Hospital policy says we need to contact the police and have them try to send him home."

The man shook his head, his eyes never leaving Grace's face.

Well it was obvious he was against that plan.

"He's been through a traumatic accident. You can't have CPD busting through here and questioning him like some sort of criminal."

"Grace, darling," she winced at the endearment. "It's not my decision."

"Well did you call them yet?"

"No."

"Then discharge him now."

"Why should I?" Lombardi scoffed.

Grace took a deep breath and hoped again that this wasn't the huge mistake she felt it was going to be.

"Because if you do, I'll go out to _one_ dinner with you. _One_."

"Really?" Lombardi asked with a grin, stepping towards her.

"Yes," she replied, taking a retreating step away from him. "But only if you discharge him right now."

"I'll be right back then."

The doctor left and Grace shook her head. The cool touch of skin against her wrist drew her attention back to the man, and she smiled softly at the grateful look he bestowed upon her.

"It's the right thing to do… I hope."

Moving away from him, she dug around the room to find his dirty clothes.

"We'll clean these later," she said and handed them over to the man before turning around to let him get changed.

It didn't take a genius to figure out this man, despite his predicament, still had his pride, and let's be honest _no one_ looked good in a hospital gown.

A gentle touch to her shoulder let her know he was done, and Grace turned to stare up at him.

After another long moment, she whispered, "Please don't make me regret this."

The man's brow furrowed again. He dropped his gaze while he took hold of her hands, folding them together so that his larger palms covered her fists and his long, elegant fingers threaded together over them. He pressed their joined hands to his forehead before tucking them under his chin while he gazed intensely at her.

Grace watched him closely, but still felt like she was still missing something. The man was truly a mystery, but she knew now that this was the right choice.

The door swung open and Grace jumped back, pulling her hands from the man's grip.

"All set. So what night are you free?" Lombardi asked.

"I'll let you know," she replied, brushing past him quickly, her newly acquired shadow following behind her.

Once they were in the elevator, Grace stared at the man for another few seconds before she smiled.

"Ready to go home?" she asked.

And this time, instead of a nod, she was rewarded with a soft smile.

* * *

_A/N: Thank you so much for all the nice reviews. It helps to keep me motivated to continue writing. There's still a lot planned for this story, and I hope you all continue to enjoy it. I'm going to try to start the next chapter tonight, but it depends on how my day goes. _

_As always, any sort of review/comment/critique/complaint is welcome, as long as it's helpful._


	5. Chapter Four: Getting Settled

Disclaimer: Not mine.

* * *

Grace glanced beside her, watching the man rest his temple against the window of the bus. Listlessly, he stared out at the urban landscape, his shoulders slumped dolefully. She knew he was grateful for the help, but that didn't make up for the loss. Even when Betty had taken her in so long ago, it took weeks, if not months, for her to accept her situation and find enjoyment out of the little things.

Since he had already touched her twice already, Grace felt they've reached the contact level of their association. So, hesitating a little, she reached over, pressing her fingertips to the back of his hand. She didn't dare try to hold it, just merely brushed her warm skin to his cool flesh.

At the graze, the man glanced over at her, his brow furrowed in such shock and confusion, even going so far as to jerk his hand back, not enough to break the contact, but just enough to let her know he wasn't used to comfort.

Smiling softly, even as her heart twisted at the thought of what pain he must have gone through to react so poorly, she caressed his skin one more time before pulling away.

"It'll get easier," she whispered. "I don't know what happened to you, but I can tell it was bad. Someone, or something, hurt you… didn't they?"

The green eyes darted away from her face, and she saw the muscle of his jaw twitch, but it took another long moment before he nodded curtly.

"I'm sorry to have to do this," she started, looking down at her knees, "but when you are around the boys, I need you to push that desolation into the back of your mind. I know you're in pain, and if you ever need anything you can come to me, but I'm asking for you to please help me shield those boys from it. The world is a harsh and cruel place. It rarely has mercy on people, so the longer I can keep their lives innocent and simple, the better. Do you understand?"

Raising her gaze to his, she watched him observe her. Every time she spoke, she had this feeling like he had his full concentration focused completely on not only her words, but her expressions. She didn't think anyone had ever paid that close of attention to her.

* * *

Loki took a deep breath and nodded.

Yes, he understood.

He could tell, even from the few moments in her home, that this woman had her hands full with her children. Yet, even then, she was taking him in, giving him a place in a universe that seemed to want him gone. He would play nice for the children, even if he believed they should be told the truth.

The woman suddenly leaned towards him, her arm extending to pull on the wire lining the bus.

"Our stop is next," she explained, gathering her bag and getting to her feet.

With nothing to do but follow, he shuffled along behind her, exiting the giant vehicle once it came to a stop.

The sun had already set, the air around them was cool as they walked down the sidewalk. The woman pulled her sweater around her while her brow furrowed. She was clearly concerned over something else now.

No surprise there.

This woman always seemed to have a million things on her mind.

"Just one more thing," she said, stepping in front of him and coming to a stop so quickly he nearly bumped into her.

Cocking an eyebrow, Loki looked down at her.

Perhaps she should write all these rules down for him if they were so important to her.

"You're going to have to be nice to Betty… which is actually a lot harder than you'd think. She's sort of an acquired taste, but seeing as you'll be living in her building and probably spending time in the bookstore, you're going to have to try to deal. Okay?"

Loki had been tortured a few times, beaten to a pulp by the Hulk, hit by a car, and grew up with Thor. He could deal with one mortal.

Trying not to roll his eyes, he nodded.

"And don't think I can't sense that attitude of yours a mile away. It practically oozes out of your pores."

His lips pressed together to fight back a grin, and he knew his eyes lightened as they flashed with amusement.

"Oh man," she sighed, a reluctant smile playing at her lips, "you're going to put me through the wringer, aren't you?"

She shook her head, but continued walking, opening a door to a small shop. A quiet bell rang as he followed her.

"Gracie? That you? You're home late," Betty questioned, finishing up with the last customer of the night. "Did you have a-…handsome, young man accompany you home? Obviously you did."

Betty grinned, glancing from Grace to the man, her hands folding over her chest.

"It's really not what you think," Grace sighed.

Betty gently nudged Grace aside and pulled the man into a tight hug. Grace glance over, seeing the man's confused and completely unnerved expression over Betty's shoulder as he was forced to hunker down to accommodate the short, older woman.

'Please,' Grace mouthed silently, her hands before her in supplication.

She watched as his gaze narrowed at her, but he still slowly patted the woman awkwardly on the back.

Betty released the man and smiled.

"I've been telling Gracie for years now, one good lay and her stress will just evaporate. I hope you're up for the challenge."

"Betty!" Grace shouted, rushing over to pull the man away from her crazy, eccentric mother figure. Her cheeks warmed, and she didn't dare risk a glance at her associate. "He's not my-… it's not even like that at all. He's a tenant, I guess. He's just going to be staying with me and the boys for a while. Until he get back on his feet."

"Oh, I see, but why are you doing all the talking?"

Licking her lips, Grace rubbed her forehead, feeling yet another headache beginning.

"Because he's mute."

Betty glance between the two before rushing towards him for another hug, but quickly found Grace pushing herself in front of him.

"He actually is kind of sick and sore from an accident. So I'm going to take him upstairs now."

Placing her hand on his back, she gently pushed him towards the stairs, ignoring the smirk from Betty. Grace knew there was a very uncomfortable conversation in her near future.

* * *

Loki hurried up the stairs, wanting away from the mortal known at Betty. His body ached from the squeeze she subjected him to, although it might have been his pride that stung worse.

Although the mischievous side of him was definitely amused at the way Grace's cheeks reddened at the mention of her sex life (or lack thereof, apparently), he still behaved himself since that was what she wanted.

Still, it would take his utmost patience to be around the older woman, but perhaps that was to balance out the ease he felt around the younger one.

Stopping outside the door to the apartment, Grace turned to him, and he already knew she was planning on apologizing again.

"I don't need to get laid," she blurted, wincing as soon as the words came out of her mouth. "Not that I'm a prude, or anything. I'm not… really.. sort of, but that's not the point. The point is-"

Loki reached up to cover her mouth with his palm, his long fingers curving gently around her cheek to nearly brush against her ear. A smirk curved at his lips while he watched the tension leave her expression.

Such an amusingly awkward woman.

His gaze fell from her dark eyes to his hand, where he could feel her soft lips pressing against his cool palm. Curling his fingers, his short, trimmed nails gently scraped along the smooth skin of jaw before he dropped his hand completely. Still focusing on her pink mouth, he watched her lick her bottom lip, something he noticed she did when she was nervous.

"Um," she murmured, voice a little shaky.

She turned to the door and opened it, waving him on inside.

* * *

_What the hell was that?_

Grace shook her head, forcing herself to focus on the upcoming reveal to the boys. She couldn't be distracted by Tall, Dark, and Mute. She was a strong, independent woman. She was a mother, a responsible twenty-seven year old, and she will not be reduced to a breathless, dazed puddle just because an exceptionally, if not unnaturally, appealing man touched her lips.

_Get it together._

The apartment was dark except for a strip of light coming from the bottom of the boys' bedroom door. She waited until she felt she had control of herself again before switching on the lamp.

"I really wish I knew your name, by the way. Is it something I could guess, maybe?"

He shook his head while he stepped inside, looking around the room.

"Okay, um… you can go ahead and take my bed, since you're still supposed to get some rest. I'll sleep on the couch. You probably remember what room it is, so make yourself at home. I'm just going to go talk to the boys. I'll be with you in a minute, okay?"

The man's jade gaze flickered toward her, watching her another long moment before he nodded and left to go into her room.

Grace sighed and rubbed her face.

Maybe Joey was right. Maybe he was an alien. The way he watched her, like he was observing and cataloging every minute detail about her. She wished she could read his mind, figure out what was going on inside that head of his, because she was at a loss. Usually, she had a good read on people. Being forced into the world had that effect, but she was getting such mixed signals from her stranger. One moment he was vulnerable and hurt, a lost soul with no one in the world to lean on, but then the next moment he was smirking at her, his eyes dancing with such amusement that she wished he could speak if only to join in on the joke he was obviously watching unfold in front of him.

The cherry on top of this enigmatic sundae was his eyes. There was no sane, justifiable reason why a man possessing that facial bone structure and complexion should have that piercing gaze. Genetics really set the feminine movement back centuries with that one.

Groaning, Grace wiped her palms on her thighs. She didn't have time for this. She walked over to the boys' room and knocked on the door. After a few seconds, she went on in, seeing the boys sitting on the floor, Joey surrounded by his toys while Jack read a book.

"Hey guys," she said quietly, shifting around them to sit on the bottom bunk. "How was school?"

"Okay," Jack said, staring down at the words of his book, but not reading a single one of them.

"I'm still mad at you," Joey announced, meeting her gaze head on, not backing down at all.

"Fair enough. I had an interesting day today. You see, I had patient you may know."

That got both of their attention.

"What happened?" Jack asked, shifting to face her more.

"Well, turns out, Jack… you were right. That man you found did need help, and I'm sorry for not listening to you. I should have tried to assess the situation and get all the facts before I reacted. Instead, I ignored you and Joey, and I'm sorry."

Joey continued to glare at her, but Jack blinked a few times, staring at the ground before moving forward to hug her. Grace wrapped her arms tightly around her son, her chin lifting an inch before settling on top of his head.

"I'm sorry too, Mom. I know you didn't mean to hurt my feelings."

Grace reached over and grabbed Joey by the collar of his shirt and pulled him into the hug too. He resisted for a moment, but then sighed loudly and hugged his aunt and cousin.

"So what happened to him?" Jack asked, feeling the fuzzy family moment pass.

After she released the boys, she let them settle back into their seats.

"He's in my room. He's going to be staying with us for a while."

Joey jumped to his feet and almost ran out the door, but Grace snatched him by the arm and made him sit back down.

"I want to see him!" he complained.

"I know that, but he needs a lot of rest. So let's give him a good night's sleep, and maybe tomorrow you three can spend time together. Now, it's pretty late, so you two should go to bed, too."

She got to her feet and kissed the tops of their heads, then, while heading out of the room, she realized Jack followed her.

"Mom?" he said, shutting the door behind him.

"Yeah, buddy?"

"I love you."

His forlorn expression tore at her heart, and she sighed deeply, pulling him close to her again.

"I love you, too, Jack. You know I do."

Her confusion grew as he buried his face in the crook of her arm, his thin arms tightening around her.

"You okay?" she questioned, knowing something must be bothering him. "What's the matter?"

Jack just shook his head.

"Did you have a bad day?"

He nodded.

"Want to talk about it?"

No.

Grace leaned down, resting her cheek on his head and closing her eyes. If she could, she would fight all his battles for him, fix all his problems, but he always tried to be an adult. She wished he had the luxury of having a normal childhood.

"I'm going to go to bed now," he muttered, letting her go to slink back into his room.

"Sleep tight, buddy."

She watched as he disappeared into his room, at a loss as to what to do to try to help him. Although she supposed she owed it to him to allow him to try to figure it out himself. When he needed her help, he'd come to her.

_On to the next one…_

After a quick stop in the kitchen, she entered her bedroom, and saw that the man really took what she had said to heart. He definitely had made himself at home. His clothes were folded on her dresser, and he was tucked under the sheets. While she hoped he had on something in her bed, she did not have it in her to question him, besides he was already dead to the world. She moved to the bed to set a glass of water and some painkillers on the nightstand.

Not wanting to be creepy, she turned away and got ready for bed.

Although she would be on the couch.

Oh joy.

The things she did for the people she cared about.

* * *

The first rays of sunlight shone into the room, seeping through Grace's eyelids to wake her up, her body stiff from the old sofa. Rolling over, she heard her back crack loudly before sighing in relief.

After silently slipping in and out of her room for her necessities, she quickly got ready for work, then followed that up with her usual task of getting the boys ready for school. Joey was even more difficult to control, seeing as he was dead set on visiting the newcomer this morning, and after a few not so nice things were said to her, she was able to talk him down.

Once she convinced them to go downstairs and wait for her, she crept into her room and went to the bed. Grace cocked her head to the side as she noticed that he slept like a corpse. Perfectly positioned, his hands crossed over his chest.

Weird.

Again, she wished she knew his name so she could try to wake him, so instead she leaned closer, her hand moving to cover one of his.

"Hey you," she whispered, waiting until his eyes were not only opened but focused on her.

A sleepy smile was her greeting while he shifted his impossibly long legs under her blankets.

"We're about to head out now. There's food in the fridge and cabinets. I think you should try to stay in bed and sleep though, you look like you really need it. You still have circles under your eyes, and I know you must still be sore. These pills here are for the pain. Just follow the directions on the bottle. Do you need anything else?" she asked.

The man shook his head while he shifted his hands to take hold of hers, squeezing it slightly before letting it go.

"You're welcome," she replied, knowing what he was trying to convey. "Now go back to sleep."

It seemed like it took mere seconds before he was out like a light again.

Good. He needed it.

* * *

Hours later, Loki woke up to an empty apartment, his stomach growling again for nourishment. He placed his hands on the mattress and pushed himself up, sliding out of the bed and heading towards the kitchen.

There was an assortment of fruits on the counter and he pulled out a few apples, taking a bite out of one, he continued to peruse his new abode.

Small, but cozy. The children's pictures and tests littered the refrigerator door and he looked closer, seeing most of the drawings were Joey's while the exams were Jack's.

That seemed about right.

Moving out of the kitchen, he went into the living room, going towards the bookshelf were there were books and what he inferred were movies as well.

None of the names stuck out to him, so he kept moving around the room, seeing a desk in the corner. Loki sat down in the chair and started rummaging through the drawers, which apparently had absolutely no filing system whatsoever.

That seemed like the woman's type. Calm and collected on the outside, chaotic and disarray on the inside.

Bills, old magazines, menus, business cards, other boring stuff.

It wasn't until he reached the bottom drawer that he found the more interesting items.

The pictures.

Most were pictures of Jack, dated from his birth all the way up to present. Loki smirked at the images of the child grinning widely despite his lack of random teeth. There were a few of Grace holding him as an baby, her eyes tired but her smile so breathtakingly beautiful and ecstatic that even the God of Mischief and Lies couldn't stop the smirk from turning into a smile. While the woman was not overly gorgeous, her happiness was infectious. Even in the images of her pregnancy, her belly swollen and uncomfortable looking, she was smiling brightly.

Loki leaned back, remembering what she had said to him.

That while she mourned the life she lost, the one she gained was better.

What did she lose? What happened to her?

There were no images of her own family, no photographic record of her before her pregnancy.

Perhaps she lost her first family, and gained a new one…

Perhaps he could do the same.

The sound of the door busting open startled him, and he quickly got to his feet, calming slightly when he saw the two boys enter the apartment.

* * *

Jack slowed his pace when he saw the man from the junkyard standing in the living room, dressed only what looked like boxers of some kind. Joey, however, grinned widely and tossed his backpack into the middle of the floor and approached the man.

"You're back? Are you still sick?"

Jack picked up after his cousin and put their things away before returning to the man who was shaking his head.

"Where's your clothes?" he asked, and the man pointed to the bedroom.

"We can wash them, if you want?"

Getting an affirmative answer, Jack headed into his mom's room and found said clothing, picking it up and taking it to the back of the apartment where the tiny laundry room was.

He could hear Joey talking to the man, and only hoped that the little boy wasn't saying anything too offensive.

Once he had the cycle started, he went back, digging out their homework and setting it on the table.

"I wish you could communicate," Jack said, trying to urge his cousin to the kitchen.

The man nodded and followed both boys so all three of them were at the table.

"Were you ever able to talk?"

Yes.

"Recently?"

Yes.

"Did it happen because of what happened in the junk yard?"

A more reluctant yes.

"Did you fall from space? Like an alien?"

"Joey!"

"What?"

"You can't say stuff like that."

"Why not? It's just a question!" the little boy shouted angrily.

"It's rude. You can't just say whatever is on your mind. You have to be smart and think about what you say or do before you act."

Joey rolled his eyes dramatically.

"It doesn't matter. If they don't like what I say, I'll just beat them up."

* * *

Loki stared at the two boys, a strange feeling in his chest as he remembered having nearly this exact conversation with Thor when they were children. Thor had insulted a member of the castle's staff and couldn't have cared less of the wench's feelings. He was a prince, so he could say or do whatever he wanted.

But Loki had more forethought than that. Their family was respected by all the people of Asgard, not just the elite members of society. To be a respected leader, you have to have manners with all the people you rule.

Thor had ignored him and ran off to play, but Loki remembered going to find the maiden and try to apologize, but she had disappeared into the servant's quarters and Loki was ushered out by the other workers.

Now, Loki watched the older boy try to talk sense to the younger one, trying to instill in him a sense of propriety, of common sense and decency. Grace had mentioned how much of a handful the little one was, and even Loki had been amused when he saw him talk back to Grace.

Just like Thor always talked back to their parents. How he always thought he was right, no matter what Odin or Frigga said. All the while Loki stood on the periphery, watching the spectacle since he already knew all the lessons.

The people of Asgard had said before, that if it weren't for his pranks, Loki was born an adult. He was too smart, too intuitive to not be that mature. His mother always told him how good of a boy he had been growing up, never pushing the boundaries (unless Thor dragged him along).

Loki watched the older boy, seeing him shake his head at the young child's antics. Jack opened his book up and started on his schoolwork, resting his head in his hand as he did so.

* * *

Jack thought it a bit strange that the man just sat there quietly while they worked, but what else was there to do.

When the washer's alarm went off, the boy got up to put the clothes in the dryer, setting it before turning back to the table.

"I'm hungry" Joey announced.

"I'll start dinner, then."

"I want burgers."

"We don't have that. I'll make pasta."

Joey groaned, making a face.

"I don't want pasta."

"It's what my mom told me to make."

Jack ignored his cousin's more dramatic protest.

"Well no one will make you eat it, Joey. You could always go to bed hungry."

"Then I'll tell my mom and dad on you!" he shouted and ran to their room, slamming the door behind him.

Jack glanced at the man and saw his confusion.

"Joey is my cousin," he explained. "My aunt Lucy, Mom's sister, and her husband dropped him off while they went on vacation. Mom was going to watch him, even though she never talks to her family anymore."

Jack got the water on the stove and the rest of the ingredients out before turning back to the man.

"That was eight months ago. His parents call sometimes, but never say they're coming home. He still thinks they're going to stroll on in one day, but I don't think so. I don't think they love him anymore. Mom tries to work with him, but he doesn't like her very much. He think she's keeping them away, but she's the one that keeps trying to convince them to come home. Not that she doesn't love Joey. She does. She's always spending time with him, more so than me most days. She knows he needs his parents."

The man glanced back at the closed door, his brow furrowed as he then gazed at the table, obviously deep in thought so Jack continued to cook dinner.

* * *

So the woman was raising a child who wasn't hers.

Loki closed his eyes.

Not only a child that wasn't her own, but a bratty child that wasn't her own.

When the buzzer for the dryer sounded, Jack put the finished meal in a pot on an unused burner before heading to get the finished clothes.

How could such a small family have so many issues?

How did they keep it together?

"Uh-oh," Loki heard from the back of the apartment.

Getting to his feet, he followed the sounds of the rummaging and quickly found Jack holding up his clothes, except…

"I shrunk them," the boy muttered sheepishly, holding up Loki's shirt, only to find it so small Jack would have a hard time fitting into it.

The kid reached for his pants, finding them about six inches shorter than they were going into the wash.

"Sorry."

Annoyance bubbled up inside of him, but Loki quickly tried to force it down.

It wasn't Jack's fault. He had been trying to help. How was he supposed to know Asgardian fabrics didn't do well in a dryer.

Lesson learned for both of them.

"It's okay," he continued, "my mom can get you stuff. She should be home soon anyway."

As he said that, Loki heard the door open. Jack grabbed the clothes and hurried to meet his mother, and all Loki could do was follow.

And hope that she would have more mercy upon him and not leave him to suffer through the rest of his time on this planet in his underwear.

* * *

_A/N: Okay, so it was kind of a filler chapter, but I am trying to iron out the details of the story. Don't give up on me. I'd also like to thank everyone for their reviews/alerts/favorites. It means so much to me that people like this story._

**_Please continue being kind and reviewing!_**


	6. Chapter Five: The One Who Pulled Away

Disclaimer: Not mine

* * *

Grace was bombarded by her son before she even had the chance to shut the door behind her.

"Jack," she said, raising her hand to cut off his sentence, "Let me set my things down first. I had a rough day today and just need a moment to let my brain rest, okay?"

"But-"

"Okay?" she asked more sternly.

The boy nodded and dropped his gaze to his feet, biting his lip and moving aside so she could put her things away and collapse on the couch with a sigh. Her hands rose to press against her neck, rolling her head back and forth while she shut her eyes.

The patients were especially bitchy today, complaining about everything, even fighting her when she was trying to get them into the room. One crazy, old lady actually took a swing at her. Thankfully, she missed, but it was still frustrating. Besides that, Katie had driven her up the damn wall with all of her questions about her upcoming dinner with Dr. Lombardi as well as the strange man she went home with.

_Went home with_.

Like they left a bar together.

_'I always knew you liked the strong, silent type,' Katie had said._

Rumors continued to fly, and, karma be damned, Grace could only hope something worse would soon happen to take the spotlight off of her.

After a few more deep breaths, she opened her eyes, the blurry image before her making her cock her head in confusion.

Then it came into focus.

"Where the hell are your clothes?" she shouted, pushing herself up off the couch and turning away from the man, her cheeks warming so quickly that she pressed the palms of her hands against them to try to cool them.

Even with her back to him, the image of his body was seared into her mind.

His long, alabaster torso.

Lean muscles that gave him that graceful strength.

The narrow hipbones forming that mouthwatering V.

Shuddering slightly, Grace shook her head and clenched her eyes shut, willing herself to listen to the words pouring out of her son's mouth.

"- but I never thought they'd shrink this much. There's no way he can wear these. I was just trying to help and now he has no clothes. I'm sorry, but I-"

"It's all right, buddy," she said, her eyes slowly opening to stare at her son and ignore the man.

_You've never been one to lust after someone. So stop this nonsense right now._

"Can you go get him clothes?"

"No, I'm going to have him walk around like this from now," she said, motioning to him.

And go crazy in the process.

"Really?" Jack asked.

"Of course not," she sighed, rubbing her eyebrow. "I'll take care of it. Go finish your homework, and where is Joey?"

"Having a temper tantrum."

"Perfect."

With a deep breath, she turned towards the man, but kept her gaze trained on the wall over his shoulder.

"Do you happen to know what size clothes you wear?"

_Please nod_.

He shook his head.

_Naturally._

* * *

Loki stared at Grace, unsuccessfully masking his amusement at her unwillingness to look at him.

As if he could have missed that fast perusal of him. It was nothing to be ashamed about, in his opinion. He certainly had an appreciation for her physical appearance, even when her hair was a bit disheveled from her fingers running through it, her unflattering, atrocious clothes she called scrubs, how she would lick her lips when she was nervous, or the curious way she'd always scrunch her face up and rub her forehead.

Blinking, Loki cleared his mind from those thoughts to tune back just in time to be told to go into her bedroom.

Was he in trouble?

He went into the room and sat on the bed, waiting for whatever was supposed to come next.

A few moments later, Grace came sweeping into the room and headed towards her dresser.

"Stand up," she ordered.

His eyebrows raised at her authoritative tone. It had been a very long time since he heard someone speak like that to him, and the last person who tried to did not fare well in the end.

Still, he owed her.

When she turned to face him, his expression showed his slight annoyance, but got to his feet.

"Sorry," she muttered, approaching him with something in hand, "it's been a long day, and what I'm about to do is going to be very uncomfortable for the both of us."

This had his brow furrowing, caution seeping into his body as he stared from her eyes to her hands, wondering what she had in them.

"Oh stop that," she laughed, obviously enjoying his expression and reaching out to take hold of his forearms. "I'm not going to hurt you."

Her touch warmed his skin, his green eyes glancing down to where she was holding onto him.

This wasn't uncomfortable. Surprising, yes, considering how shy she was around men, but certainly not uncomfortable.

"Raise your arms up." Her voice quieted and her smile slowly faded as he did what he was told.

Her dark brown eyes flickered to meet his gaze as she unwound a long white cord.

"Tape measure," she explained, then slowly took a step towards him, her stare trailing down his face, over his throat to his chest.

Loki inhaled as she wrapped her arms around him, pulling the cool tape gently against his skin. He watched her even more closely than he usually did.

The way she blushed.

The way her tongue dabbed at her pink lips.

The way her own chest moved a bit faster than normal, pulling in more oxygen as the backs of her fingers slid along his body.

She got the measurement then released one end.

Their eyes met yet again, his arms lowering while she silently took a small step back. Her lips parted as if she was going to speak, but then just shook her head.

Probably couldn't figure out what to say.

_That wasn't so bad, wait…_

His body froze as she slowly slid to her knees before him, his breath even stilling in his lungs. Loki couldn't take his eyes off of her as she glanced up at him nervously.

It wasn't too long ago that he had wanted all of humanity to kneel before him, to follow him like the sheep that they were, to worship him like the king and god that he was. He killed for that power, he relished that control, but here, now, with this mortal woman on her knees before him, the last thing Loki felt was like he was in control.

His body swayed towards her while her trembling hands raised the tape to his waist, his own hands fisting at his sides, his intense gaze not once wavering from her. They both inhaled sharply when her soft fingertips brushed against the tense muscles of his lower abdomen, her touch dragging along him to his slightly protruding hipbone, his nerves remembering the caress even after her fingers left him.

Back in Asgard, he had been fitted for his clothing and armor, even had his measurements taken by women before, but it had never been this… provocative, this enthralling.

Loki felt the tape drop from his waist as she moved to take another measurement, her movements hesitant as she slowly slid one hand to his inner thigh. Air rushed into his lungs suddenly, his hand quickly gripping her wrist.

By this time they were both panting quietly, their breathing the only sounds in the otherwise silent room.

Her brown eyes rose, the irises so dark they were almost black; she had that doe eyed look and he felt his jaw clench so tightly he thought his teeth might crack.

She looked nearly frightened, but not once did move away from him or tell him to release her.

He knew she trusted him, for better or worse, and they both were aware this path they were on had the potential to be disastrous.

Finally, he released her wrist, only to stroke his fingers up her arm to hold onto her shoulder, curling his fingers where it met her throat.

Her gaze dropped back down to finish taking his inseam, both of their bodies tense and focused on the brief but lingering touches.

Running his fingers up into her hair, he gently pulled out the tie keeping it pinned back, his gaze riveted as the thick, unruly tresses tumbled over her shoulders. Still, she didn't protest, just watched him as he threaded his fingers through the dense locks, cupping the back of her head.

Loki knew she watched as his lips moved, silently saying her name, causing a soft exhale from her, her own pink, full lips parting.

The things he could do to this woman.

Their reverie was interrupted by the bedroom door opening and before he could even blink, Grace was back on her feet on the other side of the room, hurriedly scooping her long hair back into a tight knot.

With their spell broken, Loki collapsed on the bed, watching as Jack popped his head into the room.

"Did you want dinner before you left?" he asked, giving both adults confused looks at their panting.

"No," Grace squeaked. She cleared her throat and dug around in her pockets. "I'm going to go get that stuff now. I'll just be an hour or so tops."

Loki watched as she rushed not only out of the room, but the apartment. The boy turned back to him, even more puzzled.

"You okay?" he questioned. "You look tired."

Loki dropped his head into his hands, his body nearly trembling as if he was coming down from an adrenaline high.

Tired?

After whatever just happened, Loki was exhausted.

* * *

Grace rested her back on the closed apartment door and covered her face with her hands.

What was it about that man?

He was hypnotic, ever fiber of his being, every brush of his skin against hers seemed to intoxicate her.

It frightened her, the way she reacted to him.

There was a darkness inside him that she didn't think she could handle, no matter how vulnerable or charming he was.

She couldn't allow herself to be enthralled by him again.

For the sake of her sanity, she had to distance herself.

* * *

Over the next week, Loki watched as Grace become more and more withdrawn from him. She barely spoke to him when she was home, rarely even looked at him, and the one time he reached for her she shied away from his touch.

He tried not to take it personally, that she was probably just overreacting from what happened in the bedroom. Even he wasn't exactly sure what happened in there. It wasn't nothing, and he couldn't ignore it, not with her scent filling his senses every night, not with him waking up from dreams of her coming to him.

Still, he had lost enough people already. He couldn't lose her to, not when they were on this precipice of something so meaningful to both of them.

Frustrated, he slammed his book closed, leaning forward to rest his forehead on the cover.

If only he could talk to her, let her know that this distance she was putting between them was unnecessary and a bit insulting. He may come on a bit strong, but he promised he'd never hurt her.

"You all right over there?" Betty asked, walking towards the table where he was sitting in the back corner of the bookstore.

Lifting his head, he nodded glumly, a part of him hating Grace for making him brood even more.

"This wouldn't have something to do with a certain young woman going on a certain date, would it?"

Normally, Loki tried valiantly to ignore Betty's incessant gossip and constant insertion of her opinions in everything he did, but her question threw him.

"You know…" she continued, dusting some books absently.

Like she didn't know she had his complete attention and was now torturing him with suspense.

"... with that handsome doctor."

No, it wasn't a date. A date was a human's courting practice. A romantic outing between two consensual parties that were interested in fulfilling a committed, caring, sexual relationship.

Grace had agreed to a dinner.

One dinner, a single meal.

It wasn't a date.

The sound of someone coming down the steps pulled his attention away from the evil, old woman, and the topic of their conversation soon appeared.

_Oh no._

It was a date.

She wasn't wearing her scrubs. She always wore her scrubs after work, but now she wasn't, instead she was dressed in clothing normal people wore.

Normal for a date?

Loki cursed his lack of knowledge in human mating rituals, but took some comfort in the fact that her expression showed the opposite of excitement.

Although maybe that was because he was in the room, and he could already tell she was trying to ignore his very existence.

It was like he was back in Asgard, and all he wanted was to be seen by the object of his desire.

"I'm hoping to be back by nine," Grace told Betty, her back to Loki.

"Oh honey, go have some fun. Take your time, let your hair down… no seriously, you should take it out of that bun. You're so much prettier with it down."

_Shut up, hag!_

Loki glared at Betty over Grace's shoulder, only to earn a mischievous smirk thrown his way by the woman.

His gaze narrowed.

Her smirk widened.

So this was why no one liked the God of Mischief…

"That asshole Lombardi does not warrant free flowing hair," Grace griped, reaching up to tighten the hairstyle.

"Does anyone?"

Loki noticed Grace's shoulders tense slightly, he even heard her quiet, but sharp inhale of breath. He still remembered how the silky tresses felt sliding along his fingers.

How could he ever forget?

It was obvious she could feel his intense gaze on her, but she didn't turn to look at him, not even a glance.

"So," she cleared her throat, "I'll just see you guys later, then. Bye."

His eyes stayed focused on her while she made her way to the door.

"Have fun sex!" Betty called out. "Oh what?" she questioned when she was faced with another glare from the silent man. "If you're not giving her what she needs, someone else will."

As Betty went back amongst the shelves, Loki tried to remind himself that Grace and the boys would probably be a bit annoyed with him if he killed the batty old crone.

What a shame.

* * *

"I'm such an idiot!" Jack shouted, slapping his forehead as he watched his little cousin try to do his math homework.

"What?" Joey asked, but continued counting on his fingers to get the right answer.

But Jack was already putting his books back into his backpack before racing to the door.

Joey glanced at his own books and just happily shoved them to the floor, sliding down from the chair to follow his cousin.

"What are you doing?" he shouted, gripping the railing tightly as they ran down the stairs and into the bookstore.

Jack scanned the aisles, his heart hammering inside his chest.

How could he have not thought about this? A week their new friend had been staying with them, and it wasn't until now when Jack saw Joey using his fingers to count that the idea sparked.

And he was supposed to be a genius.

Finding the book he wanted, he plucked it from the shelves and went to the back of the bookstore, where the man usually hid away and read for hours on end.

When Jack rounded the corner, he saw him, the man pressing his fingertips to his temples and massaging.

That wasn't very shocking, a lot of people did that after spending time with Betty.

"I have an idea," Jack announced.

Joey came up from behind him, moving to sit across from the man.

"Hi, Alien," he said, greeting the man by the nickname he had not so creatively chosen, but by now both Jack and Grace gave up on scolding the little one.

Besides, the man didn't seem to insulted by it, just amused.

Jack climbed up on the chair beside the man and put the book down in front of them.

"Do you know what this is?" he asked, pointing to the cover.

The man shook his head.

"It's sign language. It's a way for people to communicate with just their hands. You make shapes or movements and they each have a meaning. Look," he said, opening the book to the alphabet.

"See? My name is Jack, so I would go like this."

He slowly formed the letters **J**…**A**…**C**…**K**.

"Now you try. What's your name?"

Loki stared at the boy in surprise, the boy's intellect and problem solving skills shocking him, but, more than that, he was giving him back part of his identity.

Did he have any idea what that meant to him?

Pulling the book closer, he stared at the illustrated hands on the page then gave it a try, quickly wondering if the Allfather had enough forethought to block this, too.

**L**…**O**…**K**…**I**…

The boy took a moment to think, before uttering "Loki?" quietly.

Loki grinned widely, letting out a sigh and nodding.

It had been way too long since he heard his own name spoken.

"That's a weird name," Joey commented.

"Be quiet Joey! He can finally communicate and the first thing out of your mouth is mean."

"It's not mean! It's just a weird name!"

Jack rolled his eyes before excitedly turning back to the man.

"It takes a long time to learn the whole language, but we can try, right?"

Loki nodded, the grin still firmly in place.

"So where are you from?" Jack asked.

And with that question, the happiness within Loki faltered.

Should he lie?

What if they discovered who he really was?

What if they kicked him out again?

"He's from outer space," Joey said.

"Joey!"

"Hey, you two," Betty said, approaching the table, "it's time for you to get ready for bed. Go upstairs and get washed up, all right?"

"Okay, but can we keep this book?" Jack asked while standing from the chair.

"I'll put it on your tab, now mush."

The boys headed up the stairs, leaving a hopeful Loki to follow to make sure Joey didn't fight Jack too much.

* * *

Grace slowly climbed the stairs to her apartment, glad she survived the night with nothing more than a good work out for her eyes.

They never rolled so much at another human being.

But her debt was paid and now she could go back to being a 'frigid bitch'.

Or at least that's what Lombardi told her everyone thought she was.

As if she gave a damn. She went to work to make a living and provide for her family, not to find the man of her dreams.

Besides, the man that haunted her dreams slept only a few yards away in her bed.

Not that hard to find.

The trick was staying away.

So far, she was doing good… physically. Mentally and emotionally was another matter. She kept trying to tell herself that she knew nothing about him. That while he seemed relatively harmless to everything about her except her sanity, she had no idea what his past was like.

Why he was abandoned by those he loved?

What if he was married?

Was anyone looking for him?

It wasn't as if she'd be finding out any of these secrets.

Opening the door to the apartment, she headed inside, seeing him at the kitchen table.

_Say 'hi', ask about the boys, then go to bed. No more._

His emerald eyes focused on her while he sat with a book open in front of him. His brow furrowed slightly while he waited for her to make the first move.

"Hi," she murmured quietly, setting her purse down on the counter.

He bowed his head slowly in a greeting.

"The boys asleep?"

He nodded again, watching her closely before shifting the book towards her so she could see what he was studying.

"Sign language?" she asked, a small smile coming to her lips. "That's a great idea."

A responding smile played at his lips while he turned a few pages, the illustration of the alphabet on display when he handed her the book.

"What are you-" she stopped her question when he slowly pointed to himself then signed a few letters.

"Loki?"

Her voice was soft as she breathed his name, astonishment coloring her tone, and for the first time in a week she met his gaze and held it.

He nodded again, the smile growing on his face while his eyes lightened with excitement.

"Your name is Loki?" she asked again, a laugh slipping out between her lips at his enthusiasm.

Another nod.

"Oh my God! That's so great."

She laughed again, staring down at the book.

_**Loki**_.

Strange name for a strange man, but she liked it. She had pondered entirely too long on what his name could be, but she could never think of anything that fit with him.

And it wasn't as if she was willing to play Rumpelstiltskin with him.

The stillness crept back into the room, and she slowly closed the book, handing it back to him, her smile disappearing as she licked her lips.

"I'm happy for you, Loki," she murmured, refusing to look up at him now that he was getting to his feet before her. "I'm sure the boys are very excited."

She tried to shift the focus onto them, but, even without words, the man, Loki, brought the topic right back to them.

He towered over her, staring down at her with such hurt confusion that her breath caught in her throat, but she didn't say anything, just felt herself start to get lulled back into his gaze.

Slowly, he reached up, his hand moving to cup her face, but just before he touched her, she turned her head away, her lungs beginning to pull air in desperately.

"I can't," she whispered, shutting her eyes tightly, refusing to look at him, to offer explanation.

If he touched her again, she didn't know what she would do.

Couldn't he see what he was doing to her?

The room was silent again for a few long minutes, until she heard a door closing softly.

Opening her eyes, she found the space in front of her gone, and her bedroom door shut.

It should have been a relief that he took the not so subtle hint, but all Grace could do was stare at her closed door and try to ignore the painful twist in her chest.

The one that told her she just made another terrible mistake.

* * *

_A/N: And we're moving forward! I'm worried that I might be rushing these two a bit, so if you could please let me know what you think about the progression of their relationship, I would be much obliged. Thanks also for those who added my story to their favorites, as well as those who added me to their story alert. For those who continue to comment/review my story, I am truly appreciative. I love the feedback and hope you all continue enjoying the story and letting me know what you think._


	7. Chapter Six: The End of the Rope

Disclaimer: Not mine

* * *

"What about a doorknob? We can say you ran into that."

"No," Jack answered, staring at his feet while he led Joey to the back of their building, "I'm short, but I'm taller than a doorknob."

Jack knew he had to find a good lie to tell his mother. He couldn't afford for her to find out the truth, because while she was usually so busy that she missed some things, a split lip, a black eye, and a bruised cheek were probably going to grab her attention.

"We could say I beat you up?" Joey offered a little too enthusiastically.

"And you'd be grounded."

The little boy shrugged.

"I'm not going to blame you," Jack continued, "I'll just figure something out when I see her."

The boys climbed the stairs slowly, having taken the back way to avoid seeing Betty.

Trent had been in an exceptionally bad mood today, but gracious enough to spread the pain. Jack wasn't sure what he did, as usual, but between classes the older boy had dragged him into the bathroom and hit him.

Over and over.

Trent had spat ever cruel epithet there was at Jack, who never once cried out, but had just kept his eyes and mouth shut, his hands feebly trying to protect his face and body from the blows.

"I don't know why you're so upset," Joey remarked, "you look really cool with all those bruises, like you fought off ninja pirates from outer space."

"That doesn't even make any sense."

"How would you know? They're from outer space."

Jack shook his head and opened the apartment door, wondering if Loki was finally awake. The man usually woke up and helped them in the mornings, but this time he stayed in the bedroom. Jack had asked his mother about it, but she had just looked at the door for a really long time, then said to let him sleep and move faster.

Apparently everyone was acting crazy.

Maybe they could quietly sneak into their room, and-

"We're home!" Joey shouted, pushing past him and into the apartment, throwing his backpack and soccer ball onto the floor.

Jack rolled his eyes and followed, shutting and locking the door behind him.

* * *

_Why had he tried to touch her?_

Loki stood at the sink, staring at the white tile on the wall, his brow furrowed as he tried to reason why he acted the way he had.

He knew she was skittish around him, so why did he try to cup her cheek?

Sighing, he lowered his gaze to the drain.

He knew why.

Although she had been acting distant, he had finally gotten a response from her.

A smile.

A small laugh.

But more importantly, she said his name.

The first utterance of it, so quiet as she said it breathlessly, a mere whisper in the night.

Her eyes, big and doleful, staring up at him in such beautiful awe that he couldn't help but smile at her, his chest expanding with some emotion he wasn't used to. All he had wanted to do was go to her.

But within moments, she remembered herself, retreated back into that shell of hers, and when he tried to draw her out again, draw her back to him, she turned her head.

She offered nothing more, and he'd never steal anything she was unwilling to give.

So he left, went back into the bedroom to be tormented by his thoughts.

_What was going on with him?_

He had never felt like this before, even when the maidens of Asgard looked over and through him to get a peek at Thor. Loki hated this confusion, this unrelenting second guessing of every action.

It wasn't love. He knew he wasn't that weak or soft.

He wasn't Thor.

But it didn't feel like lust.

He truly liked being around Grace. She captivated him, not only with her subtle beauty or her generosity, but something else.

Something he couldn't name, but it drew him in nonetheless.

When she spoke, he listened. Where she went, he followed. He enjoyed watching her interact with everything, the boys, the old hag… life.

So why was she making things so complicated?

Yes, he wanted to spend his time in her company.

Yes, he wanted to touch her, feel that soft skin under his fingertips, her silken tresses spilling over his hands, her delicate features beneath his palms.

There was something between them, but were doomed to just linger in this unresolved tension? Until, what? She decided that fighting her attraction to him was too overwhelming. He knew she wanted him. It wasn't as if she hid it that well, and her reactions to him only spurred him on even more.

Sighing, Loki filled a glass with water and took a sip.

_What the hell was wrong with him?_

"We're home!" he heard the little boy shout from behind him.

Setting the water down, he turned to greet the boys, only to see Jack's face, or, more importantly, his injuries.

Striding over to the boys, he gently took hold of the older boy's chin, angling his face up so he could see the lacerations and contusions.

Jack winced slightly, avoiding his gaze.

"It's not as bad as it looks," he muttered.

Loki cocked a disbelieving eyebrow, and pressed his finger against the bruise on his face.

"Ow! Okay, fine. It hurts, but please don't tell my mom," Jack pleaded.

The eyebrow stayed cocked as he motioned to the boy's face.

As if Grace would not notice that.

"The school's open house is tonight," Jack said, "and if my mom knows that I'm getting bullied at school, she'll flip out."

Loki's stare softened before motioning towards the table for them to sit down.

"This is boring, I'm going to go play," Joey announced, stepping over his bag in the middle of the floor to go to his room.

Jack picked up the backpack and hung it up before sitting at the table across from Loki.

"So I'm guessing that you want to know what happened?" he asked, placing his hands on top of the table and wringing his fingers together.

Loki nodded.

The boy was quiet a long time, his expression grave while he stared at the tabletop.

"They all make fun of me at school. They laugh because I'm smaller than all the other boys. I'm not very athletic, so they tease me for being weak. I hate it. I'm not a fighter, I'm a thinker. I like my classes. I'm pretty smart, but that only makes them call me more names. The school wanted to move me up into the higher class, but I didn't want to go, because then there would just be bigger kids to make fun of me."

Jack rubbed his face, wincing as he touched his bruises.

"But it's not just that... They also tease me because of my father... and that I don't have one."

Loki cocked his head to the side, his brow furrowing. He hadn't given the absent father any real thought. He figured the man had left his family, having heard that was a common practice nowadays. The man also hadn't been in any of the photographs, so maybe he never wanted children and refused Grace. A cowardly move, but he realized if the man had stayed with his family, Loki might not have been welcome.

"Mom never talks about him. She refuses to say anything. I don't know a single thing about him. When I was little I used to think that maybe he was someone important. A doctor, a lawyer, an astronaut, something like that. I would ask her all these questions, and she'd just smile sadly at me. I think he broke her heart or something. I mean, she was young when she had me. Seventeen. She didn't even finish school. So my dad couldn't be a good man... because if he was, why would he leave her? The kids at school know I don't have a dad, and the teachers don't like my mom, either. She yells at them a lot. It's humiliating. She doesn't have to try to make a point every time she walks into the school.

It's not even the teasing that's so bad. I've learned to ignore most of it by now. It's just the older boy, Trent. He's twelve and bigger than me. I don't know what I did to make him so angry. I try to stay hidden. I try to keep my head down, but he always finds me. He pushed me into the bathroom today and punched me. Over and over, and I don't know why. I can't tell Mom because she'll do something embarrassing. I just don't know what to do anymore. I only want to go to school and come home. I don't even care about having friends anymore. I'm okay being all alone, just as long as he stops hitting me."

Loki watched the child, feeling for him. While Loki was never bullied, he had been alienated for being different. Reaching over, he patted the boy's forearm, wanting to comfort him, but not knowing how. The instant he touched Jack, though, the boy sprung up from the chair and threw himself at Loki, wrapping his slender arms around his neck and held on tightly, hugging him while he cried.

"I just want him to stop."

Loki's body tensed at the embrace, but slowly relaxed, his hand settling on Jack's back to pat him, but couldn't think of anything else to do. He could not give him words of wisdom, nor give him advice. It wasn't as if he could even tell the boy's teachers to get them to help him.

So Loki sat there, holding the boy as he cried, because it was the only thing he could do.

* * *

When Grace walked into her apartment after work, the last thing she expected to see was her son hugging Loki. While she knew the boys liked him, even figured he had bonded with them while she was at work all day, she didn't think she'd ever walk in on this.

It warmed her heart to see, yet also twisted it, knowing how deprived her son was of a father figure.

Quietly, she walked towards them catching Loki's gaze. Her confusion must have been evident, because he just held his hand up to stop her approach.

It was then that she heard the sniffles coming from her son.

Her confusion quickly morphed into concern, and she took another step forward.

'What happened?' she mouthed, staring at the way her son's shoulders trembled, even with his arms still wrapped around Loki.

Loki just shook his head before gently nudging Jack back to motion for him to turn to his mother.

Grace watched as her son turned, her eyes widening at the injuries. Gasping, she covered her mouth before stepping towards him.

"Jack, what happened? Are you okay?"

Kneeling in front of the boy, she cupped his face, wiping the tears from his eyes.

"I'm fine, Mom."

"What happened?" she reiterated.

Jack looked back to Loki, not knowing what to say.

And Grace, so concerned with checking over his wounds, didn't see Loki's purposeful glance at Joey's soccer ball lying near the couch.

"We were playing soccer in gym," Jack said, quickly picking up on Loki's lie. "I was the goalie and I caught the ball with my face."

Jack threw in a sheepish grin just to be careful.

"Why were you crying?"

Her Mom Alert was flashing red, but she couldn't do anything unless he talked to her.

"Well it still _hurts_," he muttered.

"Oh buddy," she sighed, pulling him into a hug. "I'm so sorry. Let me get you some ice."

"No, it's okay. We have to leave soon."

Jack pulled away from her and smiled softly at Loki before heading into his bedroom to get Joey.

Grace got back to her feet, staring after her son for a moment. She really worried about him sometimes.

"Tell me the truth," she said, fixing her gaze back to Loki. "Is everything okay?"

He stared at her for a long time, making her feel a bit uneasy. She could practically see the wheels turning in his head before he nodded.

Her worries were assuaged.

Still, what could she do if no one talked to her?

Joey and Jack soon emerged from the bedroom, ready to go back to the school.

"Mom? Can Loki come with us?"

She blinked, looking between the three of them.

"It's up to him," she said hesitantly.

Loki smiled at the boys and nodded.

* * *

"So Mom, are you going to go see my teachers?"

"If I get to it," Grace said, reaching forward to grip onto Joey's hand. "I'm going to all of Joey's."

They finally got to the school, and Loki watched as Grace tried to sign in and manage the little boy.

"But he doesn't even want you to meet them."

"That's not the point, Jack."

"I got a three out of five gold stars on my numbers today!" Joey announced proudly.

"You did?" Grace asked, grinning down at the boy. "I'm so proud of you. That'll have to go on the fridge when you get it back."

Jack frowned slightly.

"Mom, I got an A+ on my math and science tests."

His mother turned to him quickly.

"Oh, good job, buddy, now do you know which hallways I take?"

Jack sighed. "Joey can show you. I'm going to show Loki around, okay?"

She quickly glanced at the man who had been observing them all.

"Just be sure to be back in front in an hour or so. We need to get home in time so I can make Joey's brownies for his class tomorrow."

"Double fudge!"

"That's right, Joey."

"Is that why you aren't going to my classes? Because of brownies."

"Jack, while time is a factor, it's not the only reason. Now I have to go."

Joey led Grace away, leaving Loki to stare at a forlorn Jack.

"It's not fair," the boy said, glancing up at him. "I get perfect grades, and I barely get a pat on the back. Joey gets a few gold stars and he gets fridge privileges?"

Loki, again, empathized with the boy who tried so hard to make his mother proud, only to be overshadowed by someone else. Grace didn't seem like one to play favorites, though. So why did she ignore her son's achievements?

Reaching over, he ruffled the boys hair playfully, pushing his chin up so he couldn't gaze sadly at his own feet.

"You're proud of me, right?" Jack asked.

Loki's smirk faltered slightly. No one looked to Loki for encouragement. Not one person ever turned to him when they needed advice, but the way Jack stared up at him, needing his support, it shook Loki to the core.

Here was this child, this boy, coming to him, confiding in him. This boy who had people who loved him, yet felt so disconnected from his own world. This boy who was not the bravest or the strongest, but he was the smartest and cleverest. He was mature and tried his best, even when he rarely came in first place. This boy who was slowly losing his footing, who was questioning everything around him because he felt lost.

Here was Jack, coming to _**Loki,**_ of all people, for help.

And Loki would be damned if he let this boy down, if he let this boy become as spiteful and jaded as he had turned when he asked for help, love, and guidance and received none.

Putting his hand on Jack's shoulder, he leaned closer to the boy, making sure he was paying close attention.

Loki raised his other hand and quickly signed the letters **V-E-R-Y**.

Jack's face split into an ear-to-ear grin.

* * *

"He has a bit of an anger management issue, Miss Stewart."

"Really?" Grace asked, trying to seem surprised.

As if she didn't notice Joey had an anger management issue. It must have slipped by her since she was too busy arguing with the four year old every five seconds.

"And while he isn't the brightest in the class, he puts forth the effort."

"And, well, isn't that all we can ask of him?"

Grace glanced at the clock on the wall and silently cursed.

"I'm so sorry, but I really have to go. It was nice meeting you, and I'll definitely work on getting him to mellow out a bit."

_Perhaps some bongo drums._

Pushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear, Grace left the classroom, seeing Joey fighting an imaginary foe down the hallway.

"Come on, champ. Let's go find Jack."

"And Loki?"

"Him, too."

Joey ran over and took Grace's hand as they started back towards the entrance of the school. The younger kids were kept from the main population of students, so they had to wind around a few hallways.

Turning around the corner, she smiled as she saw her son talking to another boy. Loki was no where in sight, but maybe her son was finally making a friend.

"Uh-oh," Joey said.

"What 'uh-oh'?"

Grace glanced at Joey before looking back down the hall where she saw the older boy roughly shove her son up against the wall and hold him there as his legs dangled.

Now Grace Stewart was normally a kind and generous person. Sure, she had her flaws, but she tried to be an upstanding member of society.

But God help you if you hurt her boys.

As Loki emerged from the bathroom, Grace left Joey at his side, his confusion written all over his face until he saw Jack trying to get away from the older boy.

"This is bad," Joey whispered to him, looking nervous.

Joey.

Looking nervous.

Something bad was going to happen.

Grace came up behind the older boy and quickly got a vice like grip on both his hair and the collar of his shirt. Flinging him both away from Jack and into the other wall, she had her index finger against his chest while she glared down at him.

"What the _fuck_ do you think you're doing to my son?"

"Hey, lady. I was just playing with him!"

"Playing with him? Really? Perhaps I should do the same to you!"

"You can't touch me! I'll tell my mom."

"Oh, please do. It'll be my pleasure to choke her, too."

The boy stared at her like she was insane, and she was. Mama Bear mode didn't really allow for a lot of logic and reason. Normally, she'd never hit anyone, but you hurt her son and all the rules sort of go out the window.

"I-"

"Shut up. Now, you listen to me you insignificant little piece of shit, if I ever so much as _think_ that you are harassing my son again," she said quietly, but cruelly, pushing the boy against the wall even more and getting in his face. "They'll be finding your body for weeks. Understand?"

"I-"

Her hand reached out and grabbed the boy's jaw tightly.

"Nod," she ordered.

The boy nodded and she released him, taking a step backwards.

"Now stay the fuck away from my son."

The boy trembled as he pushed himself off the wall, glaring at them through his unease before taking off down the hallway.

After a few deep breaths, Grace turned to her son, reaching out to check on him, only to have him wrench away from her, his angry gaze filled with tears.

"Jack?" she questioned quietly.

"I want to go home."

Without waiting for a response, he pushed past her.

She had never seen him act this way before and turned to Loki, hoping her could give her some sort of inkling as to what was going on, but he just stared at her with wide eyes like he had never seen her before.

* * *

_Who the hell was this woman?_

Loki had gone into the men's room for a short moment, only to return and see normally quiet, lovable Grace turn into someone who could probably strike fear into the Hulk's heart.

He honestly didn't know whether to be more shocked or turned on right now. The anger that quickly rose within her as she defended a loved one was admirable, if not unexpected.

Granted, threatening the life of a twelve year old might not be her best moment, it was a mere threat not a promise. She colorfully scolded the boy, was all. No harm done.

But he knew that Jack would not see his mother's interference as a good thing, so he motioned down the hall, trying to urge her to follow the boy.

"I suppose we should go home to finish this, then."

The entire ride home was silent, even Joey not speaking because of the tension, Jack's anger and frustration, Grace's confusion and worry, even Loki's concern for the both of them.

Once they got back to the building, Loki led Joey to stay by Betty in the bookstore, knowing that whatever discussion took place upstairs, it would be best if the child didn't hear it.

The older woman seemed to sense the calm before the storm and agreed to keep an eye on the young boy while the other three went upstairs.

A part of Loki wondered if he should even be a spectator to this, but neither one of them discouraged his presence and he felt too involved to stay behind.

The door shut behind him and he watched Grace stare at her son.

* * *

"Jack, what's wrong?"

"Everything!" the boy shouted, his little fists tightening at his sides. "How can you even ask that? Everything is wrong! How could you do that to me?"

"I did that _for_ you. How long has that boy been bullying you?"

"It's none of your business."

"You're my son!"

"But you only act like I am when it fits into your schedule! Every day you come home and help Joey with his homework. You listen to Joey's problems. You hang Joey's work on the fridge and compliment him! Why don't you do that for me? Why do I always have to be doing chores? It's not fair. He's not even your son and you love him more than me."

"Jack, that's not true," she whispered.

"Don't lie to me! I know it's true. You never have time for me anymore!"

"Jack! You know I always have time for you."

"No you don't! You couldn't even meet my teachers tonight! All you had time for was Joey's."

"That's different."

"You always say that, but it's not. It's not different. You miss out on everything. You weren't at the science fair last year, you didn't come to any of my debates, and you never come to the Mother's Day brunch. Do you know how embarrassing it is? You're never there and everyone knows I don't have a father because of you! I don't even know anything about him!"

"We've been over this before, Jack. A million times."

"Why won't you talk about him? Just give me one thing. Just one, please," he cried, his small body shaking with grief and anger.

Grace stared at her son, her jaw clenched tightly while she breathed deeply.

"I will tell you everything when you're older."

"You always say that!"

"And I mean it, but you won't understand it now."

"It's not fair."

"No, Jack!" she snapped, "It's not. Life's not fair, and I'm sorry you got the short end of the stick, but God help me I'm doing the best I can!"

"Well it's not good enough! I'm miserable and it's your fault! I wish I had normal parents and a normal life! Why did you screw everything up? Why did you do this to me?" he shouted, breaking down in tears as he ran for his room, slamming the door.

Grace stared after her son. Her entire body felt weak, like she'd collapse any second. She had to pull it together.

He was just a boy. He didn't mean what he said.

_Right?_

Clearing her throat, she spoke to Loki, who hadn't moved from the door.

"Please go get Joey," she said, her voice strained. "He needs to go to bed."

She didn't turn from her spot until she heard Loki leave.

As soon as the door shut behind him, she let out a shuddering breath, biting her lip to keep from weeping.

_No_.

She didn't have time for this.

Going into the kitchen, she pulled out the ingredients for the brownies and got to work, her frustration escaping with every slam of the cabinet door.

She ignored Loki and Joey when they came back in, only hearing the man direct the boy into his room.

Good, she needed the peace and quiet.

Mixing the batter hurriedly, she poured it into a pan and slid it into the oven. After she set the timer, she placed her hands on the edge of the counter and hung her head, taking deep breaths to stay collected.

Despite the silence, she knew when Loki came back into the kitchen, could feel his gaze on her back even as he approached.

"I did screw everything up," she whispered. "I try my best, but the fact of the matter is… I have no idea what I'm doing with those boys."

Her shoulders hunched as a quiet sob escaped her, but she quickly cleared her throat.

"I'd really like some privacy right now," she said, her voice high pitched to hide the sadness trying to overwhelm her.

When he didn't leave, she sighed.

"Look, I'm about five seconds away from losing it completely, so if you don't mind…"

Instead of scaring him off with the threat of tears, she felt him come closer, sliding his hands over her shoulders, gripping them firmly and smoothing his thumbs against the base of her neck while he pressed the side of his face against her hair.

Another quiet sob slipped from Grace's lips as her hand rose, reaching over her shoulder to grasp his fingers tightly, needing that contact.

"I don't know what to do anymore. I just saw that boy hurting him and I snapped. Is it so wrong that I'd fight for him?"

She felt him shake his head.

"I love both of those boys. I do, but Joey can be so difficult. He's not as smart, so I have to work with him on his homework. He's already been abandoned, so I try to give him encouragement. He's just so impulsive and stubborn that I have to watch him all the time, and I know I can trust Jack. I know he'll always make the better choices and be level headed. It's not neglect, it's independence. He never came to me with problems before, so I didn't know he had any. He acts so maturely that I guess I always thought he needed me less," she whispered, tears streaming down her face.

"I love my son… so much. How could he ever doubt that? What else do I have to do to make him realize it? I have to work as much as I do. We barely get by as it is. I know I miss out a lot, but I'm doing the best that I can. I can't be both parents."

Sniffling, Grace wiped her eyes with her free hand.

"But he can't know about his father. Not until he is older."

Even a mature ten year old can't handle that truth.

After a long moment, Grace turned her head slightly while Loki raised his. Her eyes closed and a sigh escaped her when his forehead pressed against her temple.

"When I was seventeen," she whispered, softly trembling as she confessed the truth to him, "I went to a party with my friend. She left me there, and someone drugged me. When I woke up the next morning… I realized I had been raped."

Her hand tightened around his fingers, as if she thought he'd pull away once he found out what happened to her.

But Loki didn't pull away, just squeezed her more tightly.

"I can't tell him anything about his father, because I don't know anything. I never went to the police, and I didn't know anyone at that party. When I found out I was pregnant, my family kicked me out of the house. I haven't spoken to my parents in ten years. I left that world behind me. How could I possibly make a ten year old understand that?"

Warm tears continued to trail down her cheeks as she let her body relax back into his, letting him hold her and comfort her with his embrace. They stood silently for a long time, their eyes closed as they listened to the other breathe.

"Why are you being so good to me?" she murmured. "I've been so cold to you."

He shook his head slightly, dropping his head to rest his cool lips against the warm skin over her pulse, feeling the blood pump underneath.

Grace tilted her head back to let him, her eyes still closed.

"I punished you because of my own issues, and I'm sorry."

Squeezing his fingers again, she turned back towards him, turning her head and opening her eyes to gaze at him, the emerald pools of his eyes so much more intense.

"Do you forgive me?" she whispered.

He nodded, not once taking his eyes off of her.

"That's one of you, at least."

Loki frowned softly at her sad smile while she closed her eyes and rested her head against his again, staying that way until the timer rang.

Grace stepped away from him, and pulled the brownies from the oven before setting them on the stove and covering them.

"It's late," she said, turning back to face him. "I should really go to bed. Hopefully, I can have a more honest, heartfelt discussion with Jack in the morning, instead of being screamed at again."

Loki nodded, staring at her with such softness before approaching her, reaching up with one hand to cup her cheek.

This time, however, she didn't pull away.

He leaned towards her and kissed her forehead gently, lingering against her for just a moment before pulling away and gazing into her eyes as they welled with tears again, but she stubbornly held them back.

"Thank you," she whispered.

Loki bowed his head a bit as he released her and went into the bedroom.

Grace let out a long breath and collapsed on the couch, mind and body exhausted.

Now all she could hope for was a better tomorrow.

* * *

_A/N: As always, thanks for the reviews/favorites/alerts. I'm so glad that you all are liking this. Hopefully this chapter continued to provide entertainment, even if there was a bit more conflict involved. Please review and let me know what you think. I do occasionally tweak my chapters to answer questions or observations made in reviews. We still got a long way to go with this story, so I'm willing to consider any input._


	8. Chapter Seven: The Fourth Zombie

Disclaimer: Not mine.

* * *

It was in the dark of night that Grace awoke from her light sleep to the sounds of sniffling. Rolling over on the couch, she opened her eyes, seeing Jack shuffling his feet nervously as he stared down at them, raising his hand to wipe at his eyes.

"Jack?" she whispered while she sat up on the sofa, her voice hoarse with exhaustion. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

He shook his head and rushed her, hugging her tightly as he wept openly.

"I'm sorry!" he cried as she curled her arms around him, pulling him into her lap. "I didn't mean what I said. I don't blame you, I don't."

Grace had to bite back her own tears as he son pleaded for forgiveness, and she hugged him more tightly to her. She pressed a kiss to the top of his head and sighed.

"I'm sorry, too, buddy, but it's okay. I'm not mad or disappointed at all. I know I don't exactly make things easy for you."

She rubbed her hand up and down his back, soothing him until his sobs became whimpers and hiccups.

"The reason why I didn't go to meet with your teachers is because they don't tell me anything I don't know. All they say is that you're bright, you don't give anyone any grief, and that you're an exemplary student. Buddy, I know that better than anyone. Those open houses are for students who struggle with their coursework or misbehave. That's why I have go to Joey's. Also, if I hang up every A you got, our walls would be covered with your papers. I'm so very proud of you, Jack. Don't you ever forget that."

The boy nodded against her throat, her skin damp with his tears. She could only hope he was actually listening to what she was saying.

"But Jack, why didn't you tell me you were having trouble in school?"

"I was embarrassed. I'm supposed to look out for Joey, and I can't even defend myself," he confessed. "And I knew you'd freak out, and now everyone at school will know my mom has to stick up for me."

"I'll admit it, I probably didn't handle that situation as I should have, but you still could have told me. You don't have to hide anything from me. Ever. Now, if you continue to have problems, I want you to tell me. I promise I won't go and threaten anymore of your classmates. Okay?"

Jack nodded.

"But Jack, you're still a little boy. I don't want you to have so many worries. You're supposed to play and have fun, not be burdened with so many problems, and I know that you want to know about your father."

Jack quickly looked at her, knowing she never brought him into the conversation unless absolutely necessary.

"Was he a bad man? Is that why you hate him? Why you won't talk about him?"

Grace took a deep breath.

"While he was by no means the most moral man... No, I don't hate him, because he gave me you. You're the best thing I've ever done, Jack. I know I'm not the best mother in the world. I know I'm not always fair, and I can't make it to a lot of your events, but I do love you, Jack."

The boy started to cry again, apologizing once more for what he had said.

"I love you, too, Mom," he whispered.

Grace shifted back on the couch, laying down and cradling her son to her.

"It's okay now," she murmured, rubbing his back rhythmically. "Just close your eyes."

Jack nodded, curling into her, his hand fisting her shirt tightly, and eventually both mother and son fell back asleep.

* * *

Loki laid on the bed, staring up at the ceiling, unable to stop thinking about all that happened.

How Jack, who felt invisible, who wanted his mother's attention only for it to fall on Joey.

But it wasn't because she didn't love him, or that she didn't care. She knew how special her son was. She took great pride in every aspect of his life. It was just that the other boy required more upkeep.

_It wasn't neglect, it was independence._

Was that why Odin had treated him the way he did?

Thor had always been so stubborn and impulsive, requiring constant and vigilant watch. If he was angry, his temper often turned destructive. His loud and boisterous personality blanketed whatever was around him.

Was Loki _ever_ the afterthought in his family? Or was he so trusted by his father that Odin focused on Thor so much to try to get him to grow up?

If so, how could Loki miss this? How did he get it so wrong?

His self-pity, his 'imagined slights', led him to lose his family. A brother whose ignorance and faults were never meant to hurt him. A father whose love and trust were hidden by his stoic nature.

And all that was now lost to him. They would never forgive him.

Loki was supposed to be one of the smartest beings in all the nine realms, but now he realized that he had just acted like an ignorant child whose temper tantrum almost destroyed two worlds.

Was this why Odin sent him here?

Covering his face, Loki sighed.

If Asgard was lost to him, at least he still had Midgard.

Or more specifically, this family.

_Grace_.

She opened herself up to him, physically and emotionally, taking the comfort that he offered to her, even with her past. Her confession had illuminated so much about her. While, he had initially thought her hesitation towards him was because of the boys, seeing as a single mother would naturally be cautious when inviting a man into her home, but now everything was much clearer. It must have been a long time since she felt attracted to a man, and it must be unnerving for her. But she was trying. She had even apologized to him, unnecessary but appreciated.

Whatever they were to each other, she wasn't the only one unnerved.

In a way, she was his best friend.

Only friend.

Something he didn't have a lot of experience with.

Loki was just thankful that he had her back, now that he realized how much he lost from his exile. He just knew that that he couldn't lose her, or them, too.

The sound of Jack sobbing jerked him out of his thoughts. Quietly, he got to his feet and cracked the bedroom door open to peek his head through the opening.

There, he saw Jack hugging his mother as they reconciled, her shushing him, telling him everything was forgiven, explaining her actions and how much she loved him.

Loki had to look away, the hurt inside him deepening into his chest and heart.

Loki would never get that moment, never get a chance to apologize for his transgressions, no way to tell his family how sorry he was.

He closed the door again and went back to the bed.

His gaze focused on the ceiling once more.

He still had this family.

All was not lost.

* * *

That Saturday evening, the four of them were all in the bookstore. Jack was working on his sketches for his latest masterpiece. Joey was adding blood and guts to a coloring book picture of woodland creatures. Grace was fully focused on a crossword puzzle, while Loki read a text with a title so mind numbing Grace had lost interest in it after a single glance.

Betty bustled around, but, to Loki's utmost delight, kept her distance.

It was peaceful, quiet, and absolutely perfect.

Until the bell above the door rang and someone entered the store.

Approached the content table.

And laughed.

Grace quickly looked over and rolled her eyes.

"Katie, what are you doing here?"

"Interrupting the Cleavers, apparently. Hi Joey, hi Jack."

The boys greeted the woman with monotone words before resuming their tasks.

"And it's always a pleasure to see Tall, Dark, and Handsome," Katie smirked.

Loki cocked an amused eyebrow before glancing back to Grace who was merely shaking her head in exasperation.

"Katie, don't."

"Geeze, rain on my parade, will you? Fine. I'm here to pick you up."

Grace's brow furrowed in confusion.

"For what?"

"You honestly forgot? Really? Do you know what today is?"

"Saturday!" Joey offered loudly, drawing a zombie chewing on Bambi's head.

"And..."

Grace stared at Katie blankly, her lips parted but she had nothing.

"My bachelorette party! Grace!"

"Oh, whoops."

"Yeah, 'whoops'. We're already running late for our appointments, so let's go."

"I would, but I'm going to spend time with the boys today."

"Mom," Jack said, staring up at her. "You should go."

"But, buddy, I-"

"I know what I said, but you never go out with your friends, and we were planning on having an Alien Movie Night with Loki tonight, anyway."

"Since he's an alien," Joey explained.

"And besides," Jack continued, "you only like movies in black and white where everyone talks really fast."

"I don't know," she muttered, glancing over at Loki.

Having him watch the kids while she was at work was one thing. For her to go out partying...

Loki nodded his head and motioned for her to go.

"Okay, fine, but I promise we'll do something fun tomorrow."

Katie cheered behind her.

"Don't worry. You don't need anything. I have everything planned out perfectly. We're going to the salon and be made beautiful before hitting up a few clubs."

That sounded painful.

"I don't have club wear," Grace griped.

"Okay, first of all, don't call it clubwear," Katie said, taking Grace's arm and leading her towards the exit. "And two, my cousin is your size. I have the perfect thing for you to wear."

Grace only managed to send a distressed look over her shoulder before she was yanked out onto the street.

* * *

No way.

No _freaking _way.

"I can't wear that. I'm a mother!"

"You're a twenty-seven year old who wears incredibly frumpy clothes everyday instead of clothes that fit. Live a little, show a little cleavage, a little leg."

Grace stared at the scrap of material that made the dress.

"That's not a little."

"Well neither are those," Katie said, pointing to Grace's chest, causing her to frown and cross her arms.

"Can't I wear something else?"

"It's the only thing I have for you. So you have two options. Make your best friend very happy and wear the dress, or disappoint the bride at her party."

"Are you blackmailing me?"

"Without a doubt."

Grace huffed and held the dress up, her forehead scrunched in apprehension. She had never worn anything like what she was holding. The stretchy black material practically ensured a skin tight fit, the deeply low cut neckline and thigh length skirt, a night of constant tugging.

"Oh, and don't forget the shoes," Katie said, lifting them out of a bag.

"Hell no," Grace protested.

The black shoes had so many straps all Grace could think of was that this was some sort of torture device.

"That's something a stripper wears."

"Well it's a good thing we got you manicured, pedicured, hair and make up done. Isn't it? Now go get dressed. Me and my cousins will meet you in the limo."

"Katie, really…"

Her friend sighed and approached her.

"Look Grace, I know you're not the most provocative dresser. I know with your past, you have issues with how you present yourself to the world. I'm not a cruel idiot, but dressing up like this is fun sometimes. You're going out with a bunch of girlfriends, having a few drinks, dancing a little, getting your self esteem boosted by seeing men act like idiots the instant you walk in the door. Nothing bad is going to happen. I promise. Now your hair is curled, tousled, and looking fabulous. Your make up is stunning. Now please, go dress like a harlot for your best friend."

Grace laughed, even if her odd friend's words were sort of touching.

"Fine… I guess one night of drinking and debauchery will be okay."

"Oh sweet girl, it's hardly debauchery."

Laughing still, Grace went in to put the dress and shoes on, looking in the mirror when she was done.

_Who is that?_

Turning this way and that, Grace examined every inch of her new look, smoothing her hands across her flat stomach to her hips, noticing the torturous shoes actually did make her legs look long and beautiful, and while the low cut of the dress did make her pushed up breasts seem a bit over the top, Grace actually felt sexy.

That was something she never felt before.

"Not too shabby, I think," she muttered, ruffling her hair a little.

With a shrug to herself in the mirror, she left to catch up with the rest of the group.

* * *

"My mom forgave me for yelling at her," Jack told Loki as they sat on the couch.

It was getting late and Joey was swaying back and forth on the floor as he tried to fight off sleep.

Loki turned away from the image of a small creature bursting from the abdomen of a human.

"I shouldn't have said what I said. She explained some stuff to me, and I think I get it. She loves me, you know."

Jack looked up at him nervously, needing him to understand.

Loki smirked at the boy and nodded.

Yes, he knew she loved him.

He glanced back to see Joey nearly face planting.

Rolling his eyes, he got off the couch to pick the boy up, but he protested loudly.

"I'm awake," he groaned, his eyes still closed. "I'm watching the movie."

Instead of carrying him to the room, Loki settled back on the couch, trying to arrange him next to him, but Joey shifted towards him, curling into his side as he fell asleep.

"He's going to drool on you," Jack pointed out, crossing his legs as he watched the movie.

Loki smiled at the older boy's nonchalant observation, but didn't move Joey from his side, just let the boy snuggle and fall asleep.

A little saliva never hurt him before, so why disturb the boy because it?

* * *

"What's this called?" Grace shouted over the music.

"A zombie," Katie said, laughing at her friend. "I thought you'd appreciate it, since your boys are so obsessed with the undead. They say after two drinks you walk like a zombie."

"It tastes like fruit!"

Katie watched her friend bob her head to the music, sipping on the straw of her drink. For the first few hours, she was the wallflower. Not drinking, not dancing, nothing.

But now she was on her fourth zombie, and she was finally letting loose. She even stopped glaring at every male that gave her a once over.

"So how is it going with the Quiet Man?"

"John Wayne?"

Katie shook her head.

"Your boarder."

"Loki?"

So that was his name.

"He's awesome," Grace continued, sipping her drink some more. "All of him. It's just all awesome. You know? He's so pretty, too. God, I could just look at him all day, and he smells so…" she sighed, smiling through her buzz.

"Awesome?" Katie suggested, watching her tipsy friend.

"Yes!" Grace shouted, pointing at her. "Awesome."

"Did you sleep with him yet?"

"Nope! I'm on the couch."

Of course.

"I really like him, Katie," she confessed. "I do, and it's not just because he's so awesome. Which he is. The boys really like him, and he likes them. When he touches me, it's just like everything else dims, and it's just him."

"And it's awesome for you, isn't it?"

Grace nodded and finished the drink.

"Can I get another zombie?"

"The bar is closing soon. I need to go collect my bridesmaids, and you've had enough. I'm surprised you can even still stand."

"I'm graceful. Ha! Grace. Graceful. Get it?"

"I sure do, honey."

Katie took Grace's arm, leading her to the limo as she waved her cousins off the dance floor. The entire drive back, Grace was quiet, staring out the window. When they pulled up in front of the bookstore, she moved to get out of the limo.

"I'll bring you your clothes to you on Monday."

Grace smiled at her and nodded.

"Awesome. I'll see you then."

Leaning forward, she hugged her friend and climbed out of the vehicle.

After a quick moment of teetering on her impossibly high heels, she went inside and headed up to the apartment.

_Were there always so many stairs?_

Sighing as she got to the top, she leaned heavily against the door frame and unlocked the door. Tilting her head, she peeked inside, seeing the lights were off, the living room illuminated by the television. She could see both boys asleep and leaned up against Loki who continued to watch the movie.

"Pssst!"

She watched Loki's brow furrow as he turned to meet her gaze, obviously becoming more confused when he just saw her head sticking out from behind the door.

"Can you put them in their beds?" she whispered, but actually saying her words kind of loudly.

But Loki nodded, his confusion slowly morphing into amusement.

There was a slight chance he could smell the alcohol from there.

As he gently carried the boys, one by one, into their bedroom and tucked them in, Grace went back into the hall and leaned against the wall, waiting until they boys were in their room.

* * *

Loki pulled the blankets up to each boy's chin before leaving the room, quietly shutting the door behind him.

Now where did she go?

Rubbing his forehead and turning the lights back on, he headed towards the apartment door, opening it to see her leaning against the wall.

_What-_

_How-_

_Why-_

It was a good thing he was mute, otherwise he'd embarrass himself. Even without words, he felt like he was embarrassing himself.

His emerald gaze traveled over her, starting from her tousled, curled hair, her bright, yet dark eyes, and full lips, down her long, slender neck to the exceptional view of her breasts, the curve of her waist he wanted to slide his hands around, her suddenly long legs, all the way down to her-

Loki cocked an eyebrow at the curious, yet strangely erotic objects encasing her feet.

_How did they work?_

_Why were they so high?_

"They in bed?" she muttered, pushing herself off the wall.

He nodded, licking his bottom lip as she approached him.

"Good, they don't need to see me tipsy and dressed like this."

Grace smiled at him as she brushed past him, her skyscraper heels clicking on the tile.

"Can you get me a glass of water?" she asked, heading into the bedroom.

Loki stared after her, feeling more unhinged than he had when he found he couldn't speak..

_What the hell was going on?_

_Why did she look so… fucking… edible?_

He knew she was attractive, beautiful even, but he never thought she could look so completely seductive.

Snapping out of his daze, he went into the kitchen and got the glass of water before heading into the bedroom after her, finding her sitting on the bed, digging around in the nightstand.

He stepped closer to her and set the water down, not moving from his spot.

Her dark, sleepy eyes rose to stare at her, a smile coming to her face as she met his gaze. The alcohol in her system was finally starting to take its toll, her slight intoxication giving way to exhaustion.

Unable to hold himself back, he reached out, curling a lock of her hair around his long, slender finger.

Her smile widened.

"You like my hair, don't you?"

Grinning, he shrugged.

"Liar."

Again, he shrugged.

"You're incorrigible," she laughed, laying down on the bed, groaning as she stretched her arms above her head, arching her back slightly.

Loki's mouth watered at the sight, his green eyes darkening.

He wondered if she would arch her back like that if he had her sprawled naked on those sheets, him between her thighs and slipping inside of her for the first time.

"My feet hurt."

Loki blinked out of his daydream.

She shifted back on the bed, sitting up to try to unbuckle the shoes, but her hands were stopped by his own. His cool palm slid around her leg, cupping the back of her knee as he stared into her eyes for a long moment.

Grace visibly swallowed, but laid back down and let him caress the curve of her calf, dragging his palm down to let his fingers curl around her slender ankle. Loki watched as her breasts rose and fell with each deep breath, her lips parting slightly as he lowered himself to kneel on the edge of the mattress. He lifted her leg to let the stiletto heel press against his chest, right over his heart. She pressed her knees together, watching him as his deft fingers unbuckled the straps of her shoe.

One hand cupped her heel while the other pulled the shoe off of her foot before tossing the object over his shoulder. His palm slid back up her leg, never reaching above her knee as he lowered her foot back to the bed. Then, gaze focusing on her pink lips, watching her lick them nervously, he lifted her other leg, caressing her from knee to ankle as he undid the contraption and let it fall to the floor.

With both feet flat on the mattress, Loki's fingertips tickled the soft skin of her knees.

"You're going to be the death of me," she nearly whimpered, closing her eyes and covering her face with her hands as she tried to regulate her breathing.

Loki chuckled silently, but was honestly thinking the same thing about her.

One small move and he'd be wrapped around this woman's finger like nothing else.

A part of him argued he already was, though.

"But I know the truth," she continued with far less joy in her tone.

Frowning, he reached forward to take hold of her elbow, tugging it to get her to look at him.

"This isn't permanent," she said, that last drink giving her the impetus to finally voice her thoughts.

A spike of panic struck through his chest, but he didn't move, just watched her closely. He knew she was slightly intoxicated, so maybe she didn't know what she was talking about.

"It just feels like you're waiting for something, Loki. Like this is a pit stop for you, not your destination."

He quickly shook his head.

_No._

He was here to stay.

"But it's okay," she whispered, sitting up and reaching for him, her small, warm hand stroking the sharp line of his jaw. "Whatever happens, I'm glad you're here now. Just promise me that you'll say goodbye before you leave. So I know you're okay?"

Loki exhaled sharply, anger rising inside of him as he shook his head again.

_Why didn't she believe him?_

"Don't be upset, Loki. I think we both know you're meant for bigger things than what we can offer you."

Still shaking his head, his jaw clenching tightly, he raised his hand to grip her fingers and pull them from his face.

"I made you angry."

He shot her a glare before climbing off the bed.

Of course she made him angry,

Couldn't she tell this was exactly where he wanted to be?

He lost everything, why would he walk away from the one good thing he had in his life?

How could she even fucking suggest such a thing?

He stalked to the door, hearing her scurry off the bed and rush in front of him, planting her back to the door to block him.

Even in his anger, he couldn't help but gaze at her beauty, the way the soft curls of her hair were now slightly tangled, the worry in her sleepy eyes, everything about her affected him.

"Don't be angry with me. I never said I wanted you to go, just that I have this feeling that one day I'll wake up and you won't be here anymore."

She reached out to him with one hand, her fingers curling into the material of his shirt to fist it.

_Damn her_.

She was using the big brown doe eyes to soften him up to her.

As if that was a real challenge.

Letting out a huff, Loki stepped forward, pressing her against the door as he wrapped one arm around her back, pulling her into him.

"Thank you," she whispered, resting her forehead to his chest as her arms curled between their bodies.

As Loki held her, he told himself that she was wrong.

This was his destination.

Not only did he not have some place else to go.

He honestly didn't want to _be_ anywhere but here.

* * *

_A/N: Thanks for all the wonderful reviews, as well as the numerous alerts and favorites. It's feedback like that which keeps me up past my bedtime writing and posting. (I have to get up in a few hours to go to work.) __Anyway, I hope you all liked this chapter, even if it was sort of another filler. Don't worry though, if all goes according to plan the next chapter will be an important one. So please continue to review/comment. It helps keep me motivated.  
_


	9. Chapter Eight: A Cry in the Night

Disclaimer: Not mine.

* * *

Sunlight pierced through Grace's eyelids, waking her while also worsening the pounding headache she had earned the previous night.

_Damn you, zombies._

Now she really did feel like the undead, but at least she there was no nausea or dizziness.

_There's that silver lining._

Groaning, she rolled over, pulling the pillow over her head.

As she cocooned herself inside her bedding, she thought about her night of debauchery. The bar had actually turned out to be sort of fun. The music was a little loud, the club a little crowded, but it was nice to relax, have a few drinks, and spend time with people over the age of ten. Despite the pain that was caused by those damn shoes, the night was perfectly harmless. It was also a good thing that the boys didn't see her intoxicated and looking like a escort.

_Oh no…_

But Loki did.

Not that he seemed to mind, if she remembered correctly.

She forced her mind to work through the headache, in fact she seemed to remember him taking her heels off in the most erotic way possible.

God, the look that was in his eyes made her shiver all over again.

Then she had to go and ruin it, bringing up her concerns, making him angry.

It wasn't as if she _wanted_ him to leave, but there was just something about him. The way he carried himself, the way he acted and controlled the room, even without speaking.

She knew he was important somehow, but he wasn't even a big fish in a little pond.

He was a freaking Great White in a goldfish bowl.

She couldn't be the bad guy for pointing out the obvious, right?

But at least he hadn't stayed too angry with her. Instead, he had held her for a few long moments before putting her to bed when it was obvious she was falling asleep on him.

See, he really was awesome.

Reaching over, she grabbed the glass and a bottle of painkillers, downing the pills and chasing it with the water.

She glanced down at herself and saw that she was still wearing the hooker dress.

Wonderful.

While she couldn't help feeling embarrassed that he saw her in this, his reaction (or what she remembered of it) made it all worth it.

It certainly was flattering to know that, even for a second she put him in a tailspin like he had done to her so many times.

She yanked the sheet off the bed and wrapped it around her like a cloak, pulling it nearly over her head as she grabbed some clothes and left her room, shuffling down the hall and into the bathroom to shower.

* * *

Loki and the boys watched the silent, sheet-clad figure mosey on into the bathroom, its bare feet padding quietly on the floor.

"She okay?" Jack questioned, glancing back at Loki who sat at the table looking a strange mixture of both amused and concerned.

He hoped she would not be too embarrassed by her intoxication. Despite motherhood, she was still a young, vivacious woman who deserved to have fun.

Just as long as he was the only man who saw her sprawled out in a bed like that, the only one to caress her soft skin, the only one to who was able to pull her into his arms and keep her there.

Seeing as there was no other man she seemed remotely interested in though, his chances were still high, and Loki couldn't help but look forward to the next time he could get her alone at night.

It was always an interesting experience.

He eventually broke out of his daze and nodded to the boy's question, so Jack turned back to the stove to continue making eggs. Loki took another sip of coffee, as he had quickly discovered a love for the beverage after Grace let him try hers one morning.

"You want some breakfast?" Jack asked, looking back to Loki.

"I do!" Joey answered.

"I know, I wasn't asking you."

Joey glared, but Loki shook his head.

"Joey, can you make some toast?"

"No."

"Please?"

The little one groaned loudly, but pulled his chair over to the counter and crawled up on it, using the added height to reach for the bread and toaster.

Once the three plates were made, the table was set, just as Grace exited the bathroom, looking decidedly more alive and aware than before.

* * *

"Morning!" Jack greeted.

Grace winced slightly at the loud noise, but smiled nonetheless.

"Good morning," she muttered, heading first for the coffee pot and pouring her a cup.

She took a sip and nearly spat it back out, yet, with sheer will power, forced it down with a shudder.

"Why do you always make it so strong?" she complained, shooting an accusing stare at Loki.

Who merely responded with an innocent 'who me?' look.

Then her attention turned to the plate near her spot at the table.

"Did you make me breakfast?" she asked her son, who nodded proudly.

Grace pressed her lips together as her heart warmed.

"You're so precious," she said, setting her mug down to pull her son into a hug, squeezing him tightly.

"It's just eggs," he laughed.

"And toast, I made the toast!"

She yanked Joey out of his chair and into the hug.

"I just have the best boys in the world."

She smacked a loud kiss to both their round cheeks, making them both squeal as they tried to get away.

"Okay, okay," she chuckled, releasing them to walk around the table, squeezing Loki's shoulder briefly as she passed.

His amused gaze met hers, and her smiled widened.

"So I was thinking," she stated while she sat to eat.

"Oh no! Not that," Jack teased, earning a grin from Loki.

"Hush now. I was thinking that maybe today we'll take a little trip to the Museum of Science & Industry."

Jack's eyes widened in excitement, a smile of absolute joy coming to his face.

"Really?"

"Yep. We'll finish breakfast, then head over there. You can explain everything to me so I don't feel so stupid."

"You're not stupid, Mom."

"Why thank you, buddy, but I am when it comes to science."

"Can we go see the Stark exhibit?"

Loki choked on his coffee, coughing as he set the mug down to regain his breath.

Grace looked over at him and frowned.

"You okay?"

He nodded, but looked uncomfortable, his brow furrowed slightly as he stared at the table in front of him.

_Strange…_

"Sure thing, buddy, but first let's enjoy this nice breakfast you made."

But only Grace took the time to enjoy it, seeing as the boys were so excited they practically inhaled the entire meal.

* * *

"This is so cool!" Joey exclaimed, practically sprinting towards the Stark exhibit.

"Joey, don't run off!"

Jack stayed by Loki while Grace picked up her pace, rushing to catch up with her nephew.

They came to a stop outside the exhibit, and Loki leaned his head back to stare at the huge poster of Tony Stark with a look of mild annoyance.

He supposed it could be worse. It could be an 'Avengers' exhibit.

"Joey said that he saved us from you."

Loki frowned down at the child, getting a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach at the boy's words.

"Well, not _you_, but from aliens. They tried to take over New York, and Iron Man and his friends stopped them. We watched it on the news. Mom couldn't believe it," he said, staring up at the poster. "She was so scared. She said that if New York City was destroyed, the next city to fall would be Chicago. I tried to tell her that the superheroes would win, since they always do, but she wouldn't believe me. I never saw her act like that before."

Loki clenched his jaw and returned his glare to the image of Stark.

What if the Avengers _had _lost?

What if Loki's army had conquered Manhattan?

Chicago wouldn't have be far down on the To Conquer and Subjugate list.

Loki's head jerked to the side with a wince as he thought of Grace and the boys in the hands of the Chitauri. His jaw clenched tightly, and he narrowed his gaze as his mind started to race, sparked by the memory of all that he had done, how he had put fear into the hearts of Earth's Mightiest Heroes.

"Loki?" Jack questioned. "Are you okay?"

"Hey you two," Grace interrupted, approaching them with a wriggling Joey in her grasp. "What are you waiting for?"

"Mom?" Jack said hesitantly, still staring at Loki, whose brow was furrowed while he stared at the ground, ignoring them as his body lightly shook with barely restrained anger.

"Jack, go wait inside the exhibit with Joey," she said, pointing for him to go to the security booth just beyond the curtain.

"But-"

"Go."

Jack took his cousin's hand and led him away from the adults.

* * *

Grace watched Loki closely, her heart starting to race as she felt the tension surrounding him.

"Loki," she said softly, taking a few steps to bring herself in front of him. "What's wrong?"

When he glanced at her, she nearly retreated at the anger in his eyes.

"What happened?"

She could tell his body was on alert, his lean muscles coiled as if ready for an attack. It was almost like when he had first awoken in her bed, practically a wild animal and nothing like the gentle man she had come to care about.

"Do you want to go home?" she whispered, reaching for his hand, only to have him wrench it out of her grasp while he sneered at her.

Grace blinked, completely thrown off by his reaction.

"Loki, I-"

She didn't even get a chance to finish her thought. All she could do was watch as he glared at her again, then just walked away.

* * *

Grace stared at the doors long after he walked out of them.

_Where was he going?_

_Where else __**could **__he go?_

_Where had that sudden anger come from?_

One moment he was content, enjoying a nice family outing then all of a sudden there was such rage in his eyes. She had never seen him like that. Even when he woke up in her bed he had been more defensive and cautious.

_What happened?_

What could have possibly triggered him to react like that?

He was normally so calm and collected, taking more amusement out of life than getting worried or stressed. If she hadn't seen the transformation herself, she wouldn't have believed it.

She clenched her trembling hands into fists, and took a deep breath to calm down.

Grace honestly didn't know whether to be more wary or heartbroken, or maybe even angry.

Because how could he just walk away from them like that?

"Mom? Where did Loki go?" Jack whispered as he returned to her side.

She closed her eyes, pushing whatever she was feeling to the back of her mind.

"He wasn't feeling too good, buddy," which was sort of true. She opened her eyes and looked down at the boys. "Looks like it's going to just be the three of us. Okay?"

Jack didn't look too comforted, but nodded.

"Can we _please _go see big machines now?" Joey griped, pulling on Jack's hand.

"We sure can."

Grace smiled reassuringly at Jack, placing her hand on his shoulder and turning him back towards the exhibit.

But even as she directed the boys inside, she couldn't help but glance to the doors, hoping to see Loki coming back.

* * *

_How could he let this happen?_

_How could he have fallen so far?_

Loki was a king

The rightful King of Asgard.

He was a god.

The feared God of Mischief and Lies.

Now he was what?

Glorified babysitter?

Confidante for a lonely, anxiety ridden single mother?

Mortal empathizer?

He _should _be finding a way out of this mess.

Get his voice back, get his powers back, make Odin, Thor, and those fucking self righteous heroes pay for what they've done to him.

The Avengers would be so easy to break.

He had gone about it the wrong way the first time. He'd admit it. It was his own fault for straying out of his comfort zone. Loki was never one for a full frontal assault. Mind games were his forte.

A few well placed illusions, and he'd have their little team falling apart at their seams, snapping at each other, begging for mercy, and eventually pleading for death.

He could do it.

_So why didn't he want to?_

Because of them?

Had he really become so soft?

He still hated mortals in general. They were cruel, greedy, petty, and eager to step on another to get ahead.

Cruel children preyed upon the innocent ones, gutless men took advantage of sweet young girls, parents abandoned their offspring for their own selfish, vain reasons or just because of their so called beliefs.

Where was the mercy? The sacrifice? The empathy?

Loki wandered around the city, eventually coming to another playground full of kids.

As he gazed at the children, he didn't just see pandemonium like he had before, nor a perfect example to justify his attempted reign. Instead, he saw laughter, he saw joy. When a child got hurt, he'd cry for a bit then get right back up and play some more. There was chaos and mayhem, but from that came laughter, shrieks of excitement, friendships and family.

It wouldn't have been just the mad craze for power he would have suppressed if he ruled over them, but this too.

This simple freedom.

Loki remembered in Germany, the way the mortals screamed in terror and fled from him, how he had reveled in their fear.

If Grace had been there she would have knelt before him to save the boys.

She would have trembled, would have done anything he said.

But that wasn't submission.

It was survival.

It was love.

* * *

After hours of walking around the museum, watching her son eagerly soak in every exhibit, ever display, every word, they finally came home.

Opening the apartment door, she let the boys inside, her heart falling at what she saw.

Emptiness.

He hadn't come home.

"Mom? Where's Loki?"

"I don't know, buddy."

"Will he come home?" Joey asked, his voice quiet with barely concealed despair.

Her eyes burned with tears, but she blinked them away. She couldn't afford to worry the boys. Not yet at least.

But God, she _knew_ it.

He denied it so vehemently the night before, but she knew it.

"I don't know," she muttered. "Come on, boys. Time for homework. You have school tomorrow."

Grace needed to focus them on their routine. She couldn't let herself get distracted by the thought of him abandoning them.

Then again, it was still early, maybe he just went for a walk.

In a city that nearly killed him the last time he was wandered around it alone.

Grace could only hope that he came home safely, if only so she could murder him the second he walked through the door.

* * *

Loki had denied it when she said it, but maybe Grace's words held some truth to them.

Maybe he _was _waiting for something.

Maybe a part of him still considered himself to be the powerful being he once was.

Was he really willing to let that all go? Could he?

To forget all that he had been?

To just accept that he might have been so tortuously wrong about everything?

How could he just forget it?

In comparison to Asgard, Grace and her family were so insignificant, so meaningless to the wonders and life he once led.

But truthfully, he had never felt accepted there, even with his mother's love.

Sure, he jested with Thor, fought alongside the Warriors Three, bickered with Lady Sif, but he always felt like a bystander.

His presence was never sought after, his advice never heeded.

Yet, that wasn't the case here.

It was here that he was welcomed into a family, here he was accepted, cared for, valued.

The truth of the matter was rather simple

Here, he was happy.

* * *

Grace stared at the clock while she tapped her fingertips to her bottom lip.

The boys had finished their homework, had dinner, showered, and now were tucked in their beds.

The sun had long since set, and here she was, sitting at the kitchen table.

And yet Loki was still not home.

Jack and Joey both had continued to question her about his whereabouts, but she had no answers.

What was she supposed to tell them in the morning if he hadn't shown up yet?

She could barely comfort and rationalize this to herself, much less to the boys.

Closing her eyes, she tried to calm down and let the panic leave her with each exhaled breath, a futile task as the questions just kept popping up in her mind.

_Was he dead in a gangway?_

_Hurt by another car?_

_Lost?_

Or just an asshole who ditched them?

Sighing, she ran her fingers through her hair.

_**Where the hell was he?**_

* * *

_Was happiness enough?_

There was no glory, nobody to bow before him, quiver in fear as he decided their fate.

But there was Jack and Joey.

There was Grace.

Shutting his eyes, Loki rested his chin against his hands while he sat on the curb, elbows pressing into his knees.

He cleared his mind of all the pesky, repetitive thoughts in his head, simplifying his dilemma to two things.

Love or Power?

Which one could he walk away from?

Which one couldn't he let go?

The thought of never having his magic back, never meeting an enemy in battle, never scheming to bring his adversaries to their knees, it unsettled him. For so long, he had been defined by his gifts. What was he without them? Human?

But what of Grace and the boys? Could he walk away from them for good? Leave her as everyone else did? Abandon Jack to the sorrows and torment of being an outsider? Allow Joey to grow up into a human version of Thor? All for what? A life that had given him nothing but disappointments and regrets?

When his brother had told him his family mourned for him, he hadn't believe it, but he knew Grace and the boys would. They might eventually grow bitter, spite him for what he did to them.

If he left now, he'd never be welcomed back.

And while life without magic was a daunting prospect, life without Grace and the boys would break him.

Never again would he see Jack's eyes light up when he figured something out for the first time.

Joey's mischievous grin whenever he called him an alien.

Grace's doleful gaze as she reached for him, too proud to ask for it, but wanting his support and comfort nonetheless.

They needed him, just as much as he needed them.

Loki inhaled deeply, but knew he made his decision.

_It was time to go home._

_To them._

Getting to his feet, he gazed up at the sky.

Is this what Odin had wanted?

For him to be willing to give up his old life?

To voluntarily turn away from magic and power for something that could be much more meaningful, if only just to him?

If so, then fine.

Here he was, Loki Odinson, ready to sacrifice all he had once worked so hard for, all he had killed for, all he had betrayed his family for, everything for the _sentiment _he felt for three mortals.

_Are you finally happy now, Allfather?_

The only answer he received was a sharp pain sparking through him, his head suddenly throbbing while he staggered and fell against the brick wall of a nearby building.

_What was happening to him now?_

His hand rose to clutch at his neck as it felt like his throat was being burned from the inside, his mouth opened as he tried to catch his breath, his lungs pleading for air while he coughed, curling over as the pain grew more intense.

Clenching his eyes shut, the pain reached its peak, and just as Loki couldn't take a second more, it erupted through him, the fire inside so overwhelming that he fell to his knees.

Opened his mouth.

And cried out into the darkness.

* * *

_A/N: Dun dun dunnnnn... It's a little short, but it was a good stopping point for me. Again, thank you for all the kind reviews, and to those who added the story to their favorites and signed up for alerts. I love the feedback, as always. I really enjoy reading people's reactions to the story, and it actually helps me know what to write and clarify in the next chapter. So please continue reviewing!_


	10. Chapter Nine: The Unfair Voice

Disclaimer: Not mine.

* * *

The green, illuminated numbers on the microwave read 3:25 a.m. Grace sat at the kitchen table, unable to remove her gaze from the digits, her folded hands pressed against her lips, her elbows rested on the tabletop before her. Her eyes burned with exhaustion, but she knew it would be futile to try to fall asleep.

_Not without him here._

A part of her sneered at herself. How could she become a woman who waited up for a man?

_But this was so unlike him. That was the troubling part._

From the time he had moved in, she had never witnessed him behave like he had in the museum. It had made his annoyance the night before seem insignificant and entirely hypocritical.

For all his denial, it hadn't even taken twenty-four hours before he was storming away from her as if she betrayed him.

Was she insane? Did she imagine everything that happened between them? Did she over-analyze it?

She couldn't believe he could touch her like he had if he didn't feel anything for her… or maybe she just didn't want to believe he could.

A quiet knock on the door drew Grace out of her downward spiral of distressing, panicked thoughts. Quickly, she jumped to her feet and padded over, peeking through the peephole to see the cause of her anguish standing on the other side of the door.

Letting out a sigh of utter relief, she rested her head on the cool metal door for a moment, and let the anger finally override the worry.

Pulling the door open, she glared at Loki, whose thin, pale lips were pressed together as he tried not to openly smile, but his green eyes were dancing with entirely too much enjoyment, in her opinion. He had a joyous, '_I know something you don't know'_ smirk.

She gave him a quick once over.

Not dirty, nor disheveled. No blood or bruises.

_Good._

"Where the _hell_ have you been?" she hissed, mindful of the boys sleeping down the hall. "I've been waiting up for _hours_. I didn't know if you were dead or hurt, lying in freaking alley, bleeding out on the concrete. You got hit by a **_fucking_ **car the last time you were on your own. Do you have _any_ idea what you've just put me through? You can't just have a temper tantrum and storm off; I have Joey for that! I can't have you doing it, too!"

She paused as he couldn't hold his mirth back any longer, his lips curling up while he gave her a toothy smile.

"Why are you grinning like a fool? You could at least have the decency to look ashamed when I'm trying to yell at you," she said, turning her back on him to walk further into the apartment. "But of course not. Just another male in my life that doesn't listen to a word I say," she huffed.

"Grace."

She stilled at the sound of her name, her heart nearly stopping in her chest before going into overdrive, the fight leaving her with that one word spoken in a low, melodic voice.

"Did you just-," she breathed. "Oh no..."

_That cannot be his voice_.

It wouldn't be fair to her will power or sanity.

Grace slowly turned back towards him, watching as he stepped fully into the apartment and shut the door behind him.

"Did you just say my name?" she whispered, looking at him warily.

Loki's cocked his head to the side in mock confusion, pointing to himself in supposed shock.

"Yes, you. Don't try to drive me more insane than you already are. Just answer the question."

She closed her eyes as she waited for his answer, as if preparing for a blow, and nearly jumped out of her skin, gasp escaping her lips when she felt his hand slip over her neck to cup the back of her head. She could feel his cool breath brush against her cheek. Her body swayed towards his, but her hands stayed at her sides, unable to bring herself to touch him. She felt him turn his head towards her, his lips brushing against the curve of her jaw.

"Loki, please," she nearly whimpered, her body trembling.

When he whispered her name into her soft skin, she shivered, letting out a long breath at the sound of the his deep, hypnotizing voice, the slight accent that gave elegance to the tone, the slight hoarseness from disuse.

Grace opened her eyes, pulling away enough to gaze into his eyes.

"How did you- What-?"

His lips curled into another grin.

"I don't know. It just came back. So what do you think?"

"It's not fair," she whispered, staring at his lips in bewilderment. His eyebrow cocked at her complaint.

"How so?" he grinned, tilting his head to the side while he nudged her chin up so she met his gaze.

When she did so, she blinked, pulling herself from the thrall he always put her in, and stepped away from him, out of his grasp.

"No. No you can't just get out of this by suddenly speaking, no matter how mesmerizing your voice is. I need some explanations, Loki. As much as I'd love to just stand here with you and pretend that nothing is wrong, I can't."

The smile finally left his face and he straightened his posture.

* * *

He knew that this conversation was inevitable, but he had hoped that she would have allowed them to be remain in their little bubble for just a few moments more.

Once the pain had seeped from his body and his voice was returned to him, his first instinct was to find her, talk to her. He honestly did not even feel too put out by his still powerless body. It was possible he hadn't earned them yet, seeing as he'd still happily set someone on fire if they got in his way or hurt his new found family.

But Loki didn't want to lie to her, and he didn't know if he could get through this without resorting to his old ways. He could only hope for her understanding, empathetic nature to rear its head.

"What do you want to know?"

She looked away for a moment, her brow furrowing. He was sure her mind was just absolutely racing, and she was trying to find solid ground for this discussion.

* * *

Grace wanted to know everything. His past, how he came to be on that car, what he felt for the boys, for her, everything.

But from the look on his face he was looking forward to her questioning as eagerly as a prisoner awaits torture... or Joey for his trip to the dentist.

_First things first._

"Why did you leave the museum like that? You just walked away. I didn't know why, I didn't know where you were going… if you'd come back."

His green eyes darted to the floor before quickly raising back to her forlorn expression.

"I was reminded of my past, something I had not truly let go of despite my presence here. After much deliberation, however, I concluded that this is where I want to be... This is home."

Grace nodded absently. It had taken her months to get used to her new life, and she couldn't punish him for trying to sift through all of his issues. He may have not reacted as politely as she would have liked, but he came back.

"And you're okay now?"

"Yes. I am unaware of the physical changes that occurred to return my ability to speak to me, but at this point, I am not questioning it."

"Gift horse and its mouth, right?"

He stared at her in complete and total confusion.

"Or not," she muttered, "So where do we go from here? I mean, you can finally talk about your life, who you are, and-"

"Grace," he cut in, emerald gaze turning hesitant. "Although I _can_ talk about my past, it doesn't mean I want to. I am not ready for that discussion."

"But I-"

"A few weeks ago you came to me and told me how a woman once looked upon you and saw someone suffering, in need of a second chance. You then asked me if you had any reason to fear me. My answer was no, and it has not changed. I promise you, Grace, despite my behavior earlier, I will never hurt you. Worry you, yes. Frustrate you, undoubtedly, but I will never cause you harm. I know it must feel like I am again a stranger to you now that I can speak, but let me assure you… I am the same man who looks after your boys, who cares for them and their safety, and who only wishes to remain in your life. That is all I want now. I realize this. So please, Grace. Let us move forward, let _me_ move forward with you and leave all the pain and misery of my past behind me."

Grace watched him closely, her doe eyes filled for a moment with conflict before her compassion overran her curiosity.

"Okay," she muttered, nodding. "I can't promise that the boys will let this go, but I will and I will support your decision."

The light came back into his green eyes, and he took another step towards her, only to stop as she put her hands up again.

"But this doesn't mean you can use your voice for evil."

His expression went blank, hesitating at the unexpected and unknowing insight into his past.

"I had a hard enough time holding my own against your eyes and your…" she slid her gaze down his body before dragging it back up, "demeanor before, now you bring _that_ into the mix." She pointed an accusing finger at his mouth. "No. You need to know that you can't just waltz up to me and start talking in a voice that's all smooth and deep and with that accent that I'm sure just drives women both crazy and into yours arms, and just expect me to melt into your arms, because I won't. I have dignity and self-respect."

That damnable smile came back, amusement alive and well in his gaze as he approached her.

Each step forward was met with a retreating one from her as she maneuvered around the couch and towards her closed bedroom door.

"I am an independent, strong woman and I will not be reduced to a giggling schoolgirl by your supernatural good looks and sinful voice. Do you understand what I'm saying?" she said, her back bumping against the door, her gaze quickly filling with him as he cornered her, a predatory gleam in his eyes as he swept his hands up her arms to cup her face, tilting her head up as he lowered his to her.

"Unflinchingly," he answered, lowering his voice to make her shudder from the sound. "Are you finished with your point?"

Her brown eyes focused on his lips, a flicker of apprehension passing through them before she nodded, lifting herself closer to him.

Grace closed her eyes, her breathing deepening as she felt his cool lips just barely brush against hers. Her heart skipped a beat, and she finally reached out, fisting his shirt and pulling him to her, rising up on her toes, and-

"You're home!"

Grace recoiled from Loki at the sound of Joey's shout, her head bouncing off the wood of the door with a loud _thump_.

"Oww," she muttered, rubbing the sore spot as Loki stepped away from her and turned to the boy.

He nodded.

"You should be in bed, Joey. You have school in the morning."

"I'm thirsty."

"I'll bring you a glass of water, now go back in your room. You can play with Loki tomorrow."

Joey groaned loudly, but padded back into the room.

She shuffled past Loki, heading into the kitchen to get the water then bringing it to the boy. After she shut the boys' door behind her, she glanced at Loki.

"Why didn't you say anything to him?"

"And have them up the rest of the night asking me questions? No, it can wait."

He stepped towards her again, only to have her spring away.

"It really is late, so I should probably go to bed. I have to go to work in the morning and everything."

Loki's brow furrowed.

"When will you not scurry away from me in fear?"

"I'm not afraid of you, Loki. Just the way you make me feel sometimes."

"And how do I make you feel?" he questioned softly.

Their eyes met and held.

"Like I'm falling. It's exhilarating and frightening, and I'm not prepared for it. I crave it, but I can't handle it." She licked her lips and looked away from him. "Not yet, at least."

Loki nodded solemnly.

"You're in luck, then. Patience is one of the few virtues I possess, which means this is good night, Grace."

"Okay," she whispered, watching his pass by her to go into her room. "Loki?"

He glanced over his shoulder.

"I really am glad you came back home. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't."

Her confession brought another soft smile to his lips.

"Thank you, Grace."

"For what?"

"Reassuring me of my choice. I shall see you in the morning. Sleep well."

Grace watched him disappear into the bedroom.

* * *

Loki hadn't revealed his voice to the boys until they came home from school, since he knew the revelation would have completely prevented them from getting to class on time, and an irate Grace was not something he had wanted to deal with.

Ever.

The sight of both boys standing before him, eyes wide, mouths hanging open, frozen in shock would probably always cause him to chuckle.

Jack had immediately started firing questions at him, while Joey merely stared at him critically before finally saying "Huh… you don't _sound_ like an alien…"

After the initial shock and awe wore off, the boys treated him the same way. Loki had assured them that the reason for his disappearance had merely been a need for a long walk. He couldn't help but be thankful for their reactions, knowing his actions had put his position within this family at risk.

Days continued to pass and Loki was able to dodge a majority of pestering questions from the boys. Grace had continued to support his decision and usually managed to steer the conversation away from his past, but she was hardly around all the time during the week.

He could tell that her admission of her fear of her feelings was still weighing on her. She seemed restless around him, like she was on the verge of saying something to him, but always pulling back instead. He didn't know what to say to her to help her, so he merely watched her, being patient.

* * *

Grace knew what she had to do. She just couldn't bring herself to do it, but what choice did she have?

Despite everything that had happened between them, despite how patient he was being, how gentle he always was with her and her issues, she didn't think she could do it without making it incredibly painful for herself.

The deadline was this weekend.

It was supposed to _happen_ this weekend.

But how was she supposed to even bring it up?

It was Wednesday evening; she had gotten out of work a little early, and the whole family was sitting in the bookstore.

The boys were working on their homework, and Grace was supposed to work on her continuing education for her recertification, but instead she was staring at Loki, who stood by a cart of books, organizing them.

"So then, Eduardo turns out to be the father, even though he had left his wife for the gardener's daughter, who is ten years younger than him. The gardener, Ricardo, finds out and just goes completely loco, but who can blame him, you know?" Betty said, fluttering around the man as she regaled him with tales of her Spanish soap operas.

"I thought Ricardo was the mailman," Loki questioned.

"No. Ricardo is the gardener, Consuelo is the mailman who was sleeping with Eduardo's wife at the beginning of the season. I know you just started watching, but try to keep up, will you? I can't keep filling you in when you miss an episode."

Loki sighed and rolled his eyes.

Do not judge him. He had entirely too much time during the day with Grace at work and the boys at school. It wasn't as if he could get a job, they didn't have enough money for him to go gallivanting around the city, and Betty, for all her annoyances, was the only person he knew. So he might have started spending time in the bookstore, trying to read, but the fiery, passionate Latin arguments on the television near the register drew him in… he was powerless to the siren song of telenovelas.

"The entire program proves to be an nearly incestuous, overacted dramatization of sins compacted into a fifty minute time frame."

"But you love it."

"A guilty pleasure, I assure you."

"That your only guilty pleasure?" she asked.

Loki quickly glanced at Grace before clearing his throat and raising an eyebrow.

"I have no idea to what you are referring."

"Oh please, you're many things, but stupid is not one of them. The sexual tension between the two of you puts any couple from _Con Corazones de Fuego_ to shame."

"Focus on your stories, woman, not on my relationship with Grace."

"So it's a relationship?"

"It's a friendship."

"But you said relationship."

"For the benefit of syntactic and conversational symmetry."

"I think you two are in love, but are both too chickenshit to do anything about it."

"Well then it is a good thing that I could not possibly care less about what your opinion is pertaining to my _association_ with Grace."

Betty sighed and stared at him for a long moment.

"You know," she said, "just because you _can_ speak now, doesn't mean you should."

"Perhaps it would be best if you heed your own advice," he replied, earning an annoyed sound from her.

"Those books aren't going to shelve themselves," she said, narrowing her eyes at him.

"Indeed," Loki smirked, pushing the cart down the aisle as he made his exit from the older woman.

Grace watched him, biting her lower lip as Betty approached her.

"I don't know what you see in him."

"Do you need your prescription changed?"

Betty shook her head, throwing her hands up in exasperation before heading into the back to check inventory.

With her gone, Grace got to her feet and followed Loki, finding him tucked away in the corner.

"Do you have a minute to talk?" she asked, pulling the trigger on this soon to be awkward conversation.

"For you, I have at least three."

She laughed quietly and stepped closer to the cart, her fingers reaching out to run down the spines of the texts.

"I have to ask you something… well it's more a favor really. I'm sure you won't want to do it, and I don't blame you. It's just I can't do this alone. Normally, I'm perfectly fine on my own, solving whatever problem comes my way, but not this time. I'm so sorry for putting you in this position, but you're honestly my only hope. I just pray that you'll forgive me once it's over."

Loki's brow furrowed, and he set the book in his hands down, finally giving her his complete and total attention.

"Is everything okay?" he asked, concerned.

"Far from it."

"What happened? Are you hurt?"

She shook her head, wincing slightly.

_Just say it._

Raising her gaze, she stared at him while she gathered her courage and finally spoke.

"I need you to be my date to Katie's wedding."

* * *

_A/N: I'm not entirely happy with this chapter, but my computer locked and shut down before I had a chance to save it after a few hours of writing, so my patience with it just disappeared.__ Sorry if the last half seems rushed, I was just tired of typing. Anyway, I guarantee that the next one will be better. As always, thank you for the reviews/alerts/favorites. I try to respond to everyone who reviews, but sometimes I get lost in the list, so I apologize if you were left out. It's nothing personal. Please don't let that hold you back from reviewing. I love the feedback!  
_


	11. Chapter Ten: The Shenanigan

Disclaimer: Not mine.

* * *

Loki stared at her blankly, and all she could think of was '_Oh no… I broke him_.'

"A date…" he said after a few moments.

"No," she corrected, not wanting to scare him off, "not a date."

"Not a date?"

"No, it's sort of just a… shenanigan…?"

"A shenanigan?" he asked, brow furrowing in even more confusion.

"Could you say something _other_ than repeating what I'm saying? I mean, you must know what it's like... you've been to a wedding before, right?"

Loki cleared his throat and cocked an eyebrow.

"Not in the traditional sense."

Now _she_ was confused.

"In what sense, then?"

The wheels were obviously turning in his head, and Grace could feel her patience plummeting and her frustration skyrocketing.

"The untraditional sense."

"No shit," she commented with a not altogether pleasant smile, only to receive a smirk from Loki.

"You are getting quite attitudinal for someone asking a favor."

"Are you seriously going to make me beg?"

"Of course not. Simple pleading will suffice."

A sound that could arguably be considered a growl vibrated in her throat, and she turned around to leave, only to be stopped by a gentle, but firm grasp on her elbow, tugging her back to face him.

"When and where, Grace?"

She eyed him suspiciously.

"Seriously?"

"I am always serious," he said, as if hurt she could think otherwise.

"Very funny, but if you're actually agreeing to do this, I'll owe you big time. There's just a few things you need to do."

"Such as…"

"You need a suit."

"Can you not procure me one?"

"I _could_, but I barely have time to go dress shopping, much less suit shopping."

"Then am I to acquire one?"

"Well, you don't really know where to go." She sighed dramatically and shook her head in mock exasperation. "If only there was someone else that we both know and trust, someone who is familiar with the area, someone who, like you, has a lot of time on their hands during the day…"

Loki was by no means amused by her antics.

"No."

"Oh come on, Loki. Please?"

"I can deal with her _so called_ sense of humor here, in a controlled environment, but not out in the wild."

"She's a person not an animal."

"I've yet to see the proof."

Grace sighed and licked her lips, needing to prepare herself before she spilled her guts to him. One would think she'd be used to it by now.

"Look, here's the thing. I have a reputation at work for being a bit cold, and while normally I don't care what they think, I'm going to be forced to sit at a table with these people for an entire evening, an evening I can't act annoyed during. Katie showed me the layout and for some unknown reason I am sitting next to that _asshat_ Dr. Lombardi. So I need an ally, Loki. If I'm to make it through the evening without murdering my superior you need to be there, because if you refuse now then you are definitely getting a call in the middle of the night to help me hide the damn body, and I don't even have a trunk to transfer it. Now you are going to buy a suit with Betty. Got it?"

It was only slightly condescending that he was obviously laughing at her little spiel.

"I'm not going to like it," he said once he got his laughter under control.

"Did I _ask_ you if you'd like it?"

"No."

"Good. I'll tell her you'll be ready tomorrow at noon."

She glared at him before turning to leave.

"I just have one question."

Grace took a deep breath and faced him.

"What?"

"What shoes do you plan on wearing?"

* * *

"May I remind you that you are here for geographical familiarity and to help with the transaction, not to help me actually pick out a suit."

Loki closed his eyes tightly, having a better appreciation for why Grace always rubbed her temples to get rid of the tension.

"You can try to remind me, but I'm just going to ignore you," Betty said, looking at suit coats and randomly thrusting them against Loki's chest, his jaw tightening even more with each one.

"I can dress myself without you."

As promised, she ignored him and held a nauseating teal coat up to him.

"So are you looking forward to your date?"

"It's not a date."

"Then what is it?"

"A shenanigan."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Loki shrugged, because he honestly had no clue.

"It's a date," Betty said as if it was obvious.

"A date is a ritual performed and agreed upon by two consenting adults who wish to deepen their association to a committed, caring, and sexual relationship in order to find companionship and procreate."

"Is that what it says in your notebook that you'll take when you go back to the Mothership?"

Loki closed his eyes again to hide the eye roll.

"If I was an alien, taking into consideration the level of technical prowess, intelligence, and mastery of altering the very rules of physics… why would I use a _notebook_ to record my observations?"

"Because a diary seems to personal..? Although now I can kind of see it. _Dear Diary, Day thirty-four of living with the humans, still quite unsure of how to work the puzzling, yet ingenious technology known as a microwave. I caught Grace, the adult female, staring at me again today. I cannot get my extraterrestrial mind off of her strange, yet aesthetically pleasing human features. I do so hope that she is a consenting adult looking to participate in a sexual encounter leading to a lifetime of companionship, but alas, I must return to my home planet. They are in dire need of more sarcasm, and I cannot let them suffer without my help. Until tomorrow, love Loki._"

Betty grinned over at him as he glared at her over the rack of black suits.

"Your imagination will be your ruin."

She shrugged and said, "Worth it."

"And that infernal microwave is broken. That's why it burns everything."

"Sure it is."

He shook his head and grabbed a few items, holding them aloft to analyze them.

"These will do."

"You have to try them on to see if they fit."

"My spatial reasoning skills are perfect. They will fit just fine."

Betty shrugged.

"Okay then, it's your funeral if they don't and Grace finds out."

She held her hands out to take the suit, only to have him pull the items to his chest.

"Perhaps a trial run will be prudent."

He glanced at Betty who nodded.

"The dressing rooms are over here."

She led him through the store and over to the small rooms, where he peeked his head inside.

"Just go on in and try it on; I'll wait out here."

Once he disappeared inside, Betty leaned against the door.

"So do you need condoms?"

She heard a loud _thump_ against the wall and a quiet curse.

"I know Grace is on the pill, womanly problems and all that, it's just a question of your sexual history and how potent and sneaky your sperm are."

A man passing by her gave her a strange look, to which she merely smiled and waved.

The door swung open to reveal a slightly disheveled, but rather handsome Loki in a well fitted suit.

"I am not having this conversation with you."

"But I'm having it with you, so I guess you'll just have to suffer. I can talk louder if it'll help."

"Fine. No, I do not currently have any prophylactics with me, seeing as I neither have had any opportunity nor inclination to acquire them."

"And your sperm?"

"Is perfectly suitable and none of your concern."

"I just want to help."

"Then keep your mouth shut."

Betty shrugged and motioned for Loki to turn around, to which he complied.

"Looks good. I would have gone with the periwinkle, but to each his own."

"So are we finished here?"

"We got shoes and a suit, so I think so unless you want to go get your haircut so you don't look like a little princess anymore."

…

"…No? Okay. Then yes, were done."

* * *

Grace tucked a stray lock of her slightly curled hair behind her ear, bending down to help Joey finish packing his overnight bag.

"But I don't _want_ to stay with Betty."

"Joey, please don't fight me on this. We're already running a little late."

Jack strolled into the room and smiled at his mom.

"You look pretty."

She straightened and flashed a smile towards him.

"Thank you. You don't think it's too much, do you?" she asked, smoothing her hands down the fitted, ruched material.

"No. I think you look really pretty."

"You're all right," Joey added.

She nodded.

"Thanks Joey. It means a lot. You boys ready?"

They nodded and left the bedroom. Grace went to the kitchen to put in her earrings while she waited for Loki to get out of the bedroom. The man looked perfect all the time, how could it take him this long to put on a damn suit?

The door opened and he strolled into the living room, smirking at Joey who had already planted himself stubbornly on the couch.

Grace thought he might have been speaking to someone, but she couldn't be sure. She was too busy having a slight heart attack from the visual of Loki in a suit.

She caught his gaze for a moment before his swept over her, the corner of his mouth lifting while his eyebrow cocked.

"That's an interesting choice in color," he commented, taking in every inch of her in her new dark green dress.

"It's all right."

The smirk transformed into a grin.

"And that's not the best part," she continued before coming around the couch to let him see her shoes.

She was pretty sure she saw his pupils dilate at the sight of the black platform pumps, but she could have been mistaken.

(She wasn't.)

"You boys ready to go to Betty's?"

They got up to get their bags while Loki slowly approached Grace.

"You look beautiful," he whispered to her, gazing into her eyes.

She shuddered, goosebumps forming on her arms at his low voice, his penetrating stare, and just the overall Loki effect.

"I tried to look pretty for you, since you _are_ the knight in shining armor to my damsel in distress."

Grinning, he glanced over her again.

"Mission accomplished, although you are many things, Grace Stewart, but you are absolutely not a damsel in distress."

"Perhaps not."

With the boys waiting by the door, all four left for their evening of festivities.

* * *

Grace led Loki into the chapel, finding an open space for them in one of the pews. She glanced at Loki, who was staring around the place in confusion.

"Haven't you ever been to a wedding in a church before?"

"No. The wedding I attended… they didn't exactly believe in the Christian God."

"Oh," she said, nodding. "That's interesting. What religion were they?"

Loki stared at her for a long moment before opening his mouth, only to be cut off by the sound of music.

Grace quickly shifted in the pew, hugging the shawl tighter around her bare arms as she watched the flower girl start down the aisle, soon followed by the bridesmaids and groomsmen. She bit her lip and stood as soon as Katie appeared, stunning in her white gown, escorted by her adoring father. Grace started crying silently, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"What's wrong?" Loki whispered to her, a frantic look in his eyes.

_Why was she crying?_

_What happened?_

She was happy a minute ago.

"It's so beautiful. She's so beautiful," Grace muttered back, fishing out a tissue from her handbag.

"So why are you weeping?"

"I'm not weeping. I'm crying little tears of joy."

_Little_?

His incredulous stare must have had its effect since she narrowed her gaze at him while they sat back down.

"I may be a practical and realistic woman, but I still think it's beautiful. Look how happy she is," she whispered into Loki's ear as they watched the happy couple stand at the altar. "Look how happy and in love they _both_ are, how they just stare at one another and know. I don't think they'll last necessarily, but right now, they're flawless. The world will soon give them enough hardships. It only makes this better for them. It only makes this moment more perfect."

She turned to meet his gaze, which was fully focused on her, his brow furrowed in concentration.

Grace sniffled and smiled softly as he raised his hand to wipe the last few stray tears from her face.

Licking her bottom lip, she turned back to face the front, just in time to watch her best friend say her vows and then be kissed by her new husband.

Grace clapped and cheered as the happy couple left the chapel, followed by the wedding party.

"They're going to take a million pictures now, so we can go ahead to the reception. It's just down the street so we can walk in you want."

Loki nodded and they slid out of the pew before exiting the church and strolling down the street.

"So why weren't you a maid of the bride?"

Grace frowned at the wording, but eventually got what he was asking.

"While Katie is my best friend, she comes from a large, loving family. She's got sisters and cousins, even a lot of sister-in-laws, not to mention friends from her youth that she still spends time with. I ranked low on the priority list. I don't mind, since she's really my only friend."

"What am I?" he asked, staring at her.

She glanced over at him and smiled.

"Very, very complicated."

Leaning over, she linked her arm with his.

"I'll accept it," he responded.

"What am I?" she asked, hugging herself to his arm as they neared the reception hall.

"My second chance."

She slowed to a stop, staring up at him.

"Do you really mean that?"

"I thought it was obvious."

Grace watched him closely, trying to discern any cue to signal he was joking. A quick smirk, a flash of light in his eyes, anything, but he was completely serious.

And worse, he didn't seem to notice the effect his words were having on her.

"That's a nice sentiment," she whispered.

"'_Sentiment_'."

He shook his head slightly and looked away from her.

"What?" she questioned.

"There was a time in my life that I hated that word. It was a weakness to feel for others, a hindrance. I believed that everyone eventually turned against you, so it was best if you struck first. You were a victim to your family's acts, Grace. I wasn't. I caused so much pain and suffering. I didn't care who I hurt, in fact I even enjoyed it sometimes. I felt it was justified. When I cared for my family, I was disappointed all the time. I felt like a _freak_, an outcast, invisible sometimes, so I stopped caring. I did a lot of bad things," he whispered, returning his gaze to meet hers. "Some unforgivable. I hated everyone, but now everything is different, and it's all because of you."

"That's the most I've heard you talk about your past."

"I don't think I've processed all of it yet."

"It just takes time," she said, taking hold of his arm again before resuming their walk. "And patience was one of your virtues, right?"

"It is."

"Then you'll eventually come to terms with it."

"I hope so."

* * *

"Hello, Grace."

She felt herself tense at the sound of Dr. Lombardi's voice. She slowly turned to face him, a false smile at her lips.

"Doctor, always a pleasure."

"Who is this?" he asked, motioning towards Loki.

"You honestly don't remember him?"

The doctor looked over Loki, who was observing the exchange with mild curiosity.

"No. Why? Do I know him?"

Grace rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"No. Guess not. He's a friend. Excuse us."

She gripped Loki's hand and stood, dragging him away from their table and to the open bar.

"Thank God he found somewhere else to sit. I can't stand him."

"Why?"

"Because he's an egomaniacal, selfish narcissist with a god complex."

Loki cleared his throat and looked away awkwardly.

"Yeah," he muttered, "those are the worst."

"Tell me about it."

The dinner and speeches were out of the way. The music, overly sappy love songs, was already playing, dancing had begun, and the night was relatively pleasing. Most of the coworkers were polite to her and Loki, if not shocked that she showed up with him.

She tried not to be too insulted by that.

Now she just had to avoid Dr. Lombardi and all would be peachy keen.

She ordered some champagne and rubbed her forehead.

"Does he bother you often?"

"Not so much after he called me a frigid bitch."

Loki frowned, anger darkening his eyes.

"Why would he do that?"

"Don't get upset. It's not the first time I've been called that."

"You're really not helping to assuage my annoyance."

She sighed and swept up the glass once it was set in front of her.

"Just forget about it, okay? We're having a nice night."

Loki let out a breath and nodded.

"Of course."

"I'm going to go talk to Katie for a bit. Will you be all right by yourself?"

He nodded.

She squeezed his hand before leaving, going over to the ecstatic bride.

Loki watched Grace smile widely and laugh, hugging the other woman and talking animatedly to her. While most people would have said that the bride was glowing, Loki would have to disagree. There was just something about Grace when she was genuinely happy. She was breathtaking. It almost hurt Loki to watch her like that sometimes, because he knew she wouldn't always remain that way, even if he wanted her to.

She deserved as much happiness she could get, and so much more. She deserved to love and be loved. She deserved that perfect moment she talked about in the church.

She deserved the world, however unrealistic it was for her to get it.

A soft smile came to his lips as he watched her, listened to her laugh, everything. She turned to him and smiled for a moment before returning to her conversation.

He remembered a discussion he had with another woman not long ago. A discussion about love. Even when she was willing to risk the lives of everyone for one man, she denied love. She had said it was for children. Loki had agreed with her at the time, but now he was not so sure.

_Was __**this**__ love?_

This feeling in his chest as he watched her?

This tightness that seemed to both weigh him down and lift him up at the same time?

How was he supposed to know?

"Loki?"

He shook his head, seeing that she was now before him.

"She's going to throw her bouquet, so we should go find some good seats for the show."

"Throw her flowers?"

"Yeah, it's a tradition. All the unwed women go stand behind her, and the bride throws the bouquet over her shoulder. Whoever catches the flowers is supposed to get married next."

"That is how upcoming nuptials are decided?" he asked incredulously.

She laughed and shook her head.

"No. _God, where did you grow up?_ It's just a fun thing to do. It doesn't really mean anything. Come on."

He followed her as they approached their table, twisting in their seats to see the dance floor.

"If all the unwed women are to try to catch this, why aren't you?"

"I raise two young boys, work full time, deal with a meddling mother figure, and put up with you. Do you really think I have room on my plate for the burden of catching a bouquet?"

"No…?"

"That's right. Besides I don't feel like getting trampled. You're about to see feminism and humanity regress to before the time of civilization."

His brow furrowed and he turned back towards the women, just in time to see the flowers soar overhead, and chaos erupt. All the women seem to pounce on the arrangement, throwing themselves at each other and tearing at the bouquet, nearly wrestling on the ground before one teenager snatched it from the others. She stood up and waved it in the air, victorious before running up to a nervous young man.

"He looks overjoyed," Grace laughed, sipping her champagne.

"Truly," Loki muttered, still a little in shock at the squabble he had witnessed.

"Are you sure you don't want to dance?" he asked.

"No. I'm not much for dancing. I like to people watch. If you're bored we could do-"

"No. I'm fine. I just don't want you to miss anything."

She smiled and nodded. "I'm fine, thanks."

Wrapping her arm around his, she leaned her head on his shoulder watching the couples dance, smiling at the elderly couple waltz, the young children awkwardly swaying back and forth.

"This isn't so bad," he muttered to her.

"Really?"

"I've suffered through worse."

"I heard."

He glanced at her, confused.

"Your shopping expedition with Betty."

Shaking his head, he growled.

A noise that affected her entirely too much.

"That damnable woman."

She laughed.

"You love her. You know it."

Grace could only laugh harder at his scandalized expression.

"I do not. It is a test of my character not to strangle her."

"Sure it is. Come on," she said, sitting up. "I'm ready to go home."

They got to their feet and she left his side to go say goodbye to her friend.

Nope.

This wasn't painful at all.

* * *

When they finally walked into the apartment, Grace groaned loudly.

"Finally, I can take off these shoes."

"Grace?" he asked, with a serious tone. "Why did Lombardi call you a 'frigid bitch'?"

"Loki… why do you want to talk about this?"

"I would like to know."

"Why?"

"Because for some reason you seem to believe him."

She let out a humorless laugh and shrugged.

"Why wouldn't I? The history kind of speaks for itself."

"What history?"

"Exactly! My lack of history with men... Fine. You want to talk about it. Okay. I had one boyfriend… ever. It was in high school and he dumped me for being a prude. Then the party happened, and I was sort of turned off to all things men and sex related. It took me a long time to get over it, and by then I was a single mother already. I have to put the boys first, so dating wasn't a priority, nor was I ever really attracted to a man, not to the point where I'd want to pursue anything. So yeah, they would say that I was cold, that I was a bitch. I don't see that changing. Even with you, I freeze. I'm so attracted to you that I can't think straight sometimes, but look at what always happens. I start thinking and second guessing, and I freak out every time. So some epic love story isn't in the cards for me. I've accepted that. I've dealt with the fact that I am cold and unfeeling, that my mind will never shut up and I'll probably go through life without the love and affection someone gets from sharing their life and bed with another person. What else am I supposed to do?"

"You can _not_ give up?" he offered.

She scoffed at him, narrowing her gaze as she approached him, glaring up at him while she pointed her finger into his chest.

"You think I _want_ to be like this? You think I want to know that I'd be horrible and unfeeling during sex?"

Loki shook his head, his eyes narrowing as he stared at her in disbelief.

"That's really what you think."

"Well I've had no evidence to prove otherwise."

"Fair enough," he yielded.

She nodded and tried to turn away, only to feel his cool palm press against her cheek, turning her face back towards his while he lowered his head and caught her lips with his own, his arm wrapping around her back and tugging her up onto her toes.

A small squeak escaped her as she froze, feeling him linger against her mouth, the light suction against her top lip, the way her body relaxed into his as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Heat swept through her, settling just below her navel as her hands fisted the lapels of his coat.

When he released her lips, pressing his forehead to hers, they both breathed deeply, not moving away from one another.

"What are you doing?" she questioned, staring into his eyes as she felt his thumb gently caress her slightly swollen mouth.

"Proving you wrong."

She only had time to close her eyes again before he was stealing her breath away with another kiss.

* * *

A/N: I'm staying up entirely too late for this, but fuck it.


	12. Chapter Eleven: Proving So Much More

Disclaimer: Still not mine.

Warning: Rated M for smut. Just FYI, it's the whole chapter.

* * *

Loki pressed Grace's back against the wall, his lips moving against hers, his thumb gently pressing down on her chin to open her mouth and let his tongue dip inside slowly, teasing her. A low moan vibrated in her throat, her kisses growing bolder while she leaned her head back, letting him direct her as he pleased. His fingers threaded into her hair, pulling her head further back as he released her mouth and kissed his way over her jaw to her throat, sucking on her fluttering pulse, feeling her heavy panting as she whimpered for more.

Those noises were going to drive him crazy, he just knew it.

"Loki?" she whispered breathlessly.

He raised his head to stare at her, her pink lips parted, her eyes lidded as she stared at him.

She swallowed and licked her lips.

"Please," she muttered so quietly he almost missed it.

Grace watched as his eyes darkened, his gaze sweeping over her before leading her to the bedroom, knowing there would be no stopping tonight, no last minute second thoughts, no children interrupting.

As he neared the bed, he pulled her to him, kissing her swiftly before lowering her onto the mattress, his body quickly covering hers. Resting on one elbow, he gently pushed the hair from her face, staring down at her with a softness in his eyes that she didn't know what to call.

Her stomach fluttered with butterflies, but she was shocked to realize she didn't want to stop. She let her eyes drift closed as she leaned up, brushing her lips to his, her tongue peeking out to tenderly flit against his top lip. She felt his exhale before he covered her mouth with his own, groaning into her as his hips pressed down, her hips rolling against his in response, barely noticing she did it while one of her legs hooked around him.

Loki's hand slid up her knee, smoothing up her thigh to grip her waist, the bottom of her dress hooked around his wrist while his fingers curled around the side of her panties. His lips released her from the kiss, his forehead resting against her temple as he caught his breath and waited for a moment. Slowly, she nodded, one hand caressing his jaw as her breathing hitched when he worked her panties off her body.

He let the lacy material fall to the side, his hand stroking her hip before slipping along her spine.

"Arch your back," he muttered against her swollen lips.

When she complied, his fingers grasped her zipper and slowly pulled it down, loosening the dress around her body.

Her hands finally came to life, taking hold of his jacket and pushing it from his shoulders. He rose up onto his knees, staring down at her as he pulled his tie from his neck and threw it off the bed.

Loki watched as the nervousness crept back into her eyes, her body tensing slightly as she glanced away, gaze darting around the room.

"Grace," he murmured, his voice as hypnotic as ever. When she stared back at him, he continued. "Just keep your eyes on me."

Those big, doe eyes focused on him as she nodded, not once looking away as he pulled the straps of her dress from her shoulders, sliding them down her arms and slowly freeing her from the dress altogether, leaving her completely bare in the middle of her bed.

Before she had a chance to hide herself, he covered her body with his, lips capturing hers in another kiss, his tongue dipping into her hot mouth as one hand slid down her body to grip her thigh and pull it back around his waist.

He felt her quiet groan against his lips while her fingers swiftly pulled at the buttons of his shirt, hearing the fabric rip from her haste. She made an impatient noise in the back of her throat and felt his answering grin against her lips.

His hands left her body to pull the shirt off of himself before leaning back over her, feeling her soft breasts against his chest, the tightness of her nipples teasing his cool flesh. His lips caressed her neck, his tongue darting out to taste her while one of his hands slid up her flat stomach to cup her curves, thumb teasing the nub as his lips drifted lower to her collarbone.

"Loki…"

Her back arched, a silent request for more, as his mouth enveloped the tip of her breast, sucking deeply and causing her to cry out, her leg tightening around his waist and her hips rolling against him. When the suction was replaced with a laving tongue and gentle kisses, she whimpered, fingers spreading through his hair to hold him against her, her fingernails scraping gently against his scalp.

A low groan vibrated from his throat and into her body, the sound causing her to shudder and whisper his name.

His deft fingers slid from her breast, tickled over her ribs before sliding down to the apex of her legs. He felt her thighs tense around him, but he shushed her as gently as possible.

"Eyes on me," he muttered, pulling away from her breast so their gazes locked as his fingertips fluttered over her heat. With her lidded eyes, she watched his jaw tighten while he caressed up, his fingertips finding her swollen clit and giving her one firm stoke.

Loki watched her mouth drop open, her breath hitch. His thumb covered her clit again while his long fingers teased her folds. She was slick and hot, and he groaned deeply, tilting his head to the side to nip at her jaw as she let her head fall back, her eyes close while his fingers worked over her, teasing her. Her legs spread and her hips rocked, trying to find the perfect angle, the fingers in his hair twisting when he finally dipped a single, long digit inside of her.

When his body started to drift lower on the bed, she almost asked him where he was going, but her coherency had left her a while ago.

His free hand gently spread her thighs as he kissed her hipbone, his teeth biting gently and his tongue soothing the bite.

"Loki…?"

"Eyes on me," he reiterated again, dragging his lips towards her core, her breathing quickening to a pant.

She couldn't look away, her eyes completely focused on his emerald gaze as he settled between her legs, leaned in, and softly kissed her clit, his tongue sweeping out to lave at her.

Her mouth fell open in a silent cry, one hand clenching the sheet while the other left his head to grip his shoulder.

When her hips pulled away, he gripped them, holding her in place as he lowered his head, delving his tongue into her heat, reveling in the sounds of her moans, her whimpers, the deep breathing and gasps.

His tongue teased her for a moment before dipping inside of her, his thumb circling her clit fast, pressing harder against her as his tongue stroked in deeper.

Grace felt something building, her body growing restless as it needed more, her moans of his name becoming more and more incoherent.

When Loki felt her start to tighten, he pulled back, slipping his tongue and fingers from her core.

She tried to call out to him, but he cut her off with a kiss, spearing his tongue deep into her mouth, moaning as she dueled with him, sucking the taste from his lips as one of her hands fell to the opening of his pants, pulling on it impatiently even if she wasn't quite sure what she was asking for.

When he was as bare as she was, he felt her tense when he shifted over her again. She shivered, whimpering at the feel of his thick cock resting heavily on her thigh.

Her nerves be damned, there was no way she was stopping this.

"Eyes on you," she breathed, staring up at him and earning the most beautiful she had ever seen.

"That's right."

He cupped her face and kissed her deeply, desperately. Slowly, he shifted his hips, feeling her breath hitch against him again when his swollen length brushed against her cunt. Loki reached between them, lining up himself up against her. With his tip pressed against her opening, he took hold of both her hands, threading their fingers together and raising them above her head, holding them down to the mattress as he pushed forward and slid into her tight, slick heat.

Loki buried his face into her throat groaning deeply at the grip of her body, feeling her arch up into him as she keened, her legs wrapping tightly around his waist. He shivered at the stretch of her muscles as she tried to accommodate his size, her body taut like a bow, her hips shifting just slightly.

He gritted his teeth, moaning into the pounding pulse in her throat, his heavy breath warming the already hot flesh. Sweat gleamed on her soft skin, giving her a glow, her breasts pushing against her chest as she slowly relaxed, her eyes meeting his while she tried to catch her breath.

Finally, _finally_, she leaned up and kissed him, nipping at his lip. His hands tightened around hers, stretching her out as he rocked forward, thrusting into her with a slow, steady pace. Her hips rose to meet each push, her body trembling. When she twisted her hips, he groaned and gave a single, rough thrust, pulling another soulful moan from her lips.

Loki stroked into her harder, pressing his pelvis down to grind against her clit, watching as her forehead scrunched up, her eyes clenching, her fingers tightening around his.

She turned her head, biting her lip to keep the sounds at bay when he picked up his pace, pounding into her as she felt him move so very deep inside her. Something powerful was coiling within her, pulling tighter and tighter, building slowly, a warmth that seemed to be in her very bones.

"Loki," she pleaded, not knowing what was happening.

Her body writhed wantonly beneath his, her eyes almost black with desire. He released her hands and slid one arm underneath her and gripped her shoulder from behind, his other hand shifting to cup the back of her head, pulling her closer. He shifted his hips, thrusting in at a new angle, hitting something within her to cause her to cry out even louder. His tongue swiped at the salty skin of her throat, feeling the muscles strain.

Her fingernails dug into his bicep, her hand curling around it while the other clutched onto his back, needing him. Grace clung to him desperately as a the tension inside her drove her crazy, every single muscle in her body straining towards something terrifying and beautiful.

"Loki! Please-…I can't-… I can't… please," she begged, nearly drawing blood from him as her nails dug into his bulging bicep while he gripped her body to his.

"Let go, Grace," he growled. "I got you… just let go."

He pressed his forehead to hers as he felt his control start to slip.

"I-… I-… Oh, God…"

Suddenly she threw her head back and cried out, screaming his name as she clenched her eyes tightly shut, seeing stars as her body shook; her heart was beating faster than it ever had before; her lungs begged for oxygen, her world nothing but this single explosion of sensation as she came violently.

Her nails cut into his arms as he surged into her, feeling her inner muscles pulse around him, tightening rhythmically. He breathed hotly against her neck, feeling her throat vibrate under his lips as she moaned. He closed his eyes tightly, holding himself impossibly deep within her, letting her quivering cunt milk him of everything he had.

Bodies trembled as the remained entwined together, their breathing eventually slowing as the sweat cooled on their flesh, but still they did not move, soaking up the feeling of being as close as two people could be. A small whimper escaped her when he pushed the hair from her face, kissing the tears that had slipped over her temples when she came. Grace turned her head, catching his lips with hers, kissing him as softly as she could.

Her body continued to shake as she opened her eyes and stared at him, now knowing what to say, now knowing what to do other than cling to him. His beautiful green eyes gazed right back at her, as he was just as unwilling to move from over her or from within her.

Smiling softly, he leaned in and placed a sweet, gentle kiss on her forehead and Grace knew in that moment.

She was unquestionably in love with him.

* * *

A/N: Okay then. Hope you all enjoyed that. I'm so tired, I hope it made sense. Now the bad news: I'm not sure I'll be able to update as frequently this week. I have to put in a lot of overtime at work, but we'll see how it goes. Thanks as always for the reviews/alerts/favorites. It means so much that there are fans of this story. Please keep the feedback coming!


	13. Chapter Twelve: Start of Something New

Disclaimer: Not mine.

* * *

Loki tilted his head, watching his fingers slide through the long, brunette tresses, the scent of vanilla and jasmine still clinging to the slightly tangled strands. His gaze flickered over to his paramour's face, so peaceful and content in her slumber.

Gently, he ran the back of his knuckles over the curve of her cheek, over her jaw and neck to trace her collarbone. She looked so fragile that he couldn't resist from leaning closer and pressing a soft kiss to her shoulder.

At the touch, she sighed quietly, shifting to press her body back into his. She had been so sure that she was this 'frigid bitch', so completely convinced that she couldn't be intimate with him.

Loki was more than happy to have proven her wrong.

She had been flawless, perfect in her vulnerability, her sensuality. Loki was no stranger to sex, but being with Grace was different. He never felt so connected with another individual before. She had trusted him, gave herself to him so completely he almost did not know what to do with her now.

This part was new territory for him, and he found it both exhilarating and slightly terrifying, because now he had even more to lose if he failed.

His relations on Asgard were either relatively aloof, or unrequited. It had just been yet another example of how he never truly fit into society. The women had usually fixated upon Thor, or were constantly flirting with the outlandish Fandral.

Loki couldn't help but imagine how a meeting between Grace and his brother would go. While he would first insist she was too mature and practical to be swayed by Thor, the sensible and highly intelligent Jane Foster had fallen prey to the God of Thunder's charms. What if Thor came to find him? Would Grace become like every other person and focus on Thor?

Loki's grip on her hip tightened at the imagined image of her smiling up at his brother.

No. Thor couldn't have her.

She was his.

* * *

Grace woke up as a cool touch clamped down on her hipbone. Frowning slightly, she opened her eyes and turned her head, focusing her gaze on a glowering Loki.

Her body instinctively shrank from his, wanting to scoot away from the angry man in her bed. Although she was new to this, she was pretty sure that expression was not preferred during the morning after scene. As she moved from him, however, his hand tightened even more and his eyes turned on her, his expression softening instantly.

"Are you okay?" he questioned, concerned at her skittish behavior.

"Are _you_?"

He cocked his head to the side.

Grace slid her hand over his and rubbed her thumb over his knuckles. His grip loosened before he released her completely.

"I apologize," he muttered, looking slightly ashamed at his actions.

She continued to watch him, even as he lowered his gaze, brow still furrowed as he remained deep in thought. Bringing the sheet around her, she licked her bottom lip.

"If I asked you what you were thinking about, would you tell me?"

He remained silent, still conflicted with whatever musings were rolling around in his head.

Despite her usual magnanimous nature, the lack of response cut her.

After the night they had shared, he still couldn't let her in? Not even a little?

Nodding, she gripped the sheet tightly and held it to her as she got out of bed. She quickly grabbed some clothes from her dresser and headed into the bathroom.

Her motions were rougher than usual as she turned on the shower and got under the hot spray.

Was it so unreasonable to want a few answers?

Last night had been perfect. He was gentle with her, urging her without being aggressive. Leading her into one of the most amazing moments of her life. He showed her something she never believed she'd experience. Grace didn't take that lightly. Not at all.

It was just… what did she really know about him?

Who was this man she was getting so attached to?

He had already affected her life in so many ways. The boys loved him, she loved him, and she didn't want to risk anything. She just didn't know what to do now.

She didn't even know what her options were.

Once she was finished in the shower, she turned the water off and wrapped herself in a towel before pushing the shower curtain aside, stilling when she saw him leaning against the sink, his arms crossed over his chest.

At least he put his pants on again.

Clenching her jaw, she stepped onto the bathmat and grabbed another towel to wring the water from her hair.

"Why did you just walk out on me?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

She squeezed herself between him and the wall, reaching up to open the medicine cabinet, only to frown at the lack of painkillers.

_Where did they keep disappearing to?_

"Are you ignoring me?"

"No," she sighed, closing the medicine cabinet to face him.

"Then why did you just walk out?"

"You really have to ask? Last night was one of the best nights of my life, Loki. You made me feel things I never knew were possible. It was beautiful and perfect, and I know it was only like that because of you."

His stern expression softened and he let out a long breath, before he reached for her, only for Grace to step back.

"But I wake up and you look so pissed off at something, and you won't talk about it. You never talk about anything, and instead of reveling in the newest development of whatever is going on between us, all I can think about is the fact that I don't know anything about you."

"Yes, you do."

"No, I don't. I don't even know where you're from. I don't know what you do."

"You know the important things."

"Like what?"

"I'd never hurt you or those boys."

"That's not enough, Loki. I can't be the only one giving here. I've been trying to be patient, trying to be understanding, but after everything _why_ can you not talk to me?"

She gripped the towel tightly around her, watching him stand there silently, practically glaring at her before a spark of hesitancy flashed over his features.

Letting out a long breath, he looked away from her gaze for a moment, his anger snuffing out like a dim candle.

"Because I'm afraid I'll lose you if I do."

Grace sighed and took a step closer to him, craning her head back to look up at him.

"Loki, please, just tell me. Say something."

Say _anything_.

She bit her lip as his dark green eyes stared down at her before she glanced at his mouth, hoping he'd open it to speak, but all she saw was his jaw tightening.

_So that's how it was going to be…_

Grace nodded slightly and moved away from him, grabbing her clothes and leaving the bathroom.

* * *

Loki watched her go, feeling a tightness in his chest coil around his heart, squeezing it. It was apparently too much to hope for that she'd never question his past, never need to know more about him than who he was now.

After last night, he supposed it wasn't surprising she wanted to know more of his secrets, how his mind worked. Even with that hanging over his head, he couldn't bring himself to regret what had transpired between them.

He cared about her, he knew she supported him. Perhaps it was time to trust her enough to let her know more of who he was.

If he didn't, he knew he'd slowly lose her anyway.

The bedroom door opened and he saw her emerged, dressed for the day and heading into the kitchen.

"Grace," he muttered, following her.

"No, Loki. I get it. You're an enigma. It was foolish of me to think that after last night we could wake up happier than ever. It's not like I want to know every deep dark secret you have. Everybody's got skeletons in their closets, but when I wake up and the first man I have willingly had sex with is laying there glaring at me, well, excuse me for wanting to know what the _fuck_ is on his mind."

She brushed past him as he reached for her, moving deftly around the table and to the coffee maker.

Now that she was obviously moving towards anger instead of hurt, he knew he had to work fast before she started to get really pissed off at him.

Running his fingers through his hair, he took a deep breath.

"I was thinking about my brother."

He watched as she caught the cabinet she was about to slam close, her shoulders slowly losing their tension as she tried to calm herself back down.

"He's… sort of 'big shot' where I'm from. Everybody loves him. When he walks into a room, every person stops to watch him. They're all so enthralled with him, the way he commands a room, his laughter, his idiotic speeches. My so called friends only put up with me because of my relation to him. Any women I had a romantic involvement with either wanted to be closer to him or were instantly wooed by him the second they were in his presence. He never did it on purpose, he was just an ignorant fool. It was inconceivable to him that I'd ever have issues with his personality."

Grace had turned to face him, her features softened into an empathetic expression.

"So why were you so angry?"

Loki refocused his gaze on her.

"Because I couldn't help but think that if you ever met him, maybe you'd do what everyone else has done. You'd abandon me in favor of him."

"You're really concerned about this, aren't you?" Grace questioned after a long moment, setting the coffee mug down and approaching him.

"I've been trying to get over the resentment I feel towards my brother, but my anger still lingers," he confessed.

"Thank you for telling me," she muttered.

"You didn't give me much of a choice."

"I'm not going to run away because things are difficult, Loki. You got to give me some credit."

He clenched his jaw again, but nodded.

History wasn't kind to him when he put his faith in others, but maybe he could try once more with her. She certainly gave him enough reason to try.

When she slid her hands over his shoulders to wrap around his neck in a hug, he leaned forwards so she could reach. Her lips sweetly pressed against his tense jaw before she brought her body even closer to his.

After another moment, he wrapped his arms around her, letting himself relax into her embrace.

"So where do we go from here?" she whispered.

Loki cleared his throat and pulled back enough to gaze at her, his hands shifting to hold onto her waist.

"I believe it would behoove us to go on a date."

She bit her lip for a moment before smiling.

"Since we're two consenting adults who wish to pursue a committed, caring, and sexual relationship?"

He cocked an eyebrow.

"Isn't that what's written in your space notebook?" she teased.

"That damn woman and her incessant gossip."

Grace laughed, pulling away from him and going back to the coffee pot.

"Either way, I'd love to go out on a date with you, but doesn't that seem a bit impractical? You barely know where to go, and it's usually the guy's decision for the night's activities."

"I've been on Earth for a few months now, I think I can handle a night out."

She flashed him a confused look.

"'On Earth'?"

Loki stared at her for a long moment before he reached up and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

"It was a joke, obviously. Since you all consider me an extraterrestrial."

"Oh… I don't think I've ever heard you make a comment about it yourself."

"Well, I finally succumbed to the peer pressure."

She rolled her eyes and opened the fridge.

"Can you go get the boys from downstairs? I'll start on breakfast."

Loki nodded and, after finishing getting dressed, went to retrieve the two boys.

Although as soon as he was within Betty's apartment, he sent the boys upstairs and stayed behind to talk with the frustrating woman.

"I require your assistance," he said, watching the two children disappear up the stairs before shutting the door behind him.

"With many things, I'd imagine. Anything in particular today?"

He was just going to skip over that jab.

"Due to the success of the shenanigan, Grace and I have decided to go out on a date."

Betty looked him over from head to toe before her eyes widened and she gasped.

"What?" Loki asked warily.

"You two fornicated! I'm so proud."

He glanced down at himself, wondering how she could possibly know.

"So," she said, sitting down at the table, "how was it?"

"I did not come here to give you the details of our encounter."

"You're right, you have your diary for that."

Loki took a deep breath to keep from saying anything scathing, since he still needed that favor.

Betty, however, seemed to notice he was still a bit conflicted and decided to have mercy.

"What do you need help with?"

"Grace has agreed to go on a date of my choosing."

A sincere smile broke out on the woman's face and she clapped her hands together once.

"Well there you go! She said yes. The hard part is over!"

"Not quite. I assured her I would know what to do on the outing, but I may have overplayed my hand, so to speak."

"Meaning you have no idea what the hell you're doing."

"Well, I wouldn't use _those_ words, but yes."

"And you've come to me since I'm so much smarter than you."

"I was going to say old and wise."

"Excuse me?" she asked, tilting her head, gaze narrowing.

"Just wise, then."

She nodded and pulled the newspaper over towards her and started flipping through the pages.

"It's a good thing I read through the paper this morning, considering you both don't have a lot of money for an extravagant night out."

Loki's brow furrowed as he stepped forward, pulling the paper towards him.

"Movie in the park?"

"Yeah, sure. I'll help you make something to eat, and you two could have a little picnic and watch a movie, and isn't it nice that her favorite one is showing here?"

He followed to see where she was pointing.

"You're really going to help me with all of this?"

Betty sighed and looked up at him.

"All I've ever wanted for that girl since I met her was for her to be happy. Now, I know you and I don't see eye to eye, mainly because you're a giant, but you make her happy. She's normally so guarded, but you bring her back into the world. I hope you realize what that means."

"You know it goes both ways. She's helped me through a lot, even though she doesn't know it."

"She does, Loki. Deep down, she knows. So yes, I'm going to help you, because Lord knows you're probably completely useless when it comes to romance."

He rolled his eyes, but nodded.

"Thank you. She's making breakfast now, so I'll be back later this afternoon."

Betty waved him off before making a list of groceries.

* * *

That evening, Grace sat on her bed, staring into her closet with a puzzled expression. Loki had been pretty quiet as to what their date would entail, so she wasn't particularly sure what she should wear.

This was why she liked the hospital scrubs. No muss, no fuss.

"Are we sleeping at Betty's again tonight?" Jack asked, sitting next to her as he read from a science journal.

"No, we should be home relatively early."

"Good. Her apartment smells like babies, but that don't make sense, since she's old," Joey announced from his place on the floor.

The youngest boy had been pretty quiet all day, just playing silently in whatever room Jack and Grace had been occupying.

"Don't worry. You guys are going to spend some time in the bookstore helping Betty and we'll be home before closing time."

Both boys nodded while Grace went back to staring at her closet.

"Mom, it's clothes. Why are you so confused by them?"

"I'm not confused. I just want to look nice."

"But you always look nice."

Grace glanced over at her son and made a soft cooing noise before pulling him into a tight hug and kissing his cheek.

"Mom!" he whined, trying to squirm out of her grasp.

"You're the sweetest little boy ever," she said, ruffling his hair.

"What about me?" Joey asked, putting his toys down to stare up at them dolefully.

A look uncommon for the boy.

Grace reached down and plucked him from the floor, pulling him into her lap.

"You're very sweet, when you're not arguing with me all the time."

The boy grinned proudly and settled on her lap to look at the closet too.

"So, are you going to get married?" Joey asked, swinging his feet.

"Oh, Joey that's not even on the table right now?"

"What table?"

Jack snorted in amusement, but was obviously interested in the topic being discussed.

"Is he going to stay with us for a longer time now?"

Grace sighed and looked at her son.

"I don't know, buddy. I hope so, but I don't know for sure. Right now we're just going to see where it goes."

Jack nodded and went back to reading while Grace set Joey on the bed. She headed over to the closet and started going through the hangers.

She hadn't had it in her to try to hide the newest development in their relationship from the boys. Besides, with all of them living in one small apartment, it was pretty impractical. She couldn't lie to the boys, and she trusted that Loki cared enough about them to not hurt them if something went wrong.

It was painful to think about, but Grace knew she had to be responsible and consider the consequences of their actions, even if she was close to praying that everything worked out in the end.

Once she found an outfit, she slipped into the bathroom to change and get ready.

* * *

Loki gripped the handles of the bag as he opened the apartment door, calling out for Grace.

"She's just finishing up," Jack said as he crawled up onto the couch to sit and finish reading.

"Aren't you two going to go down to the bookstore?" he asked, walking towards where the boys were.

"There or the roof. I need to finish my project for the science fair. It's right around the corner."

"Science fair?"

"Yeah, the whole school participates in it. There's usually a theme. Last year was focused on psychological experiments. I did violence in video games on young people, but I didn't get very far since my only test subject was Joey."

Who was currently using a toy dinosaur to kill an entire battalion of green army men.

"So what's the theme this year?"

"It's an Invention Convention. I've been working on my project for months, and now that I know what the prize is, I cannot lose."

Loki sat down in the chair nearby and gazed at the smart boy.

"What's the prize?"

Jack grinned and sat the journal down.

"Four VIP tickets to the Stark Expo at McCormick Place."

"Wow, that's impressive," Loki commented hollowly.

"Yeah, Tony Stark is like my idol. He's so smart and funny. He's a genius and never stops coming up with cool, new stuff."

_Yeah, he's a real friggin' peach._

The bedroom door opened and Grace emerged, smiling when she saw the three of them in the living room.

"What are you guys talking about?"

"Tony Stark."

"Oh yes, of course. I'm sure you'll win those tickets, buddy."

"If I do, can we all go together?"

Loki glanced at Grace, hoping she was watching him to see his hesitancy, but she was too busy hugging her son.

"Absolutely. We'll even take something for him to sign if you meet him. Okay?"

Jack nodded, smiling brightly again.

"Okay, you two behave. We'll be back in a few hours."

She kissed both boy's foreheads before watching them run up to the roof to go work on Jack's project.

"So what do you have planned?" she asked, turning to face Loki.

"A surprise I think you'll enjoy," he replied as he got to his feet and offered her his arm.

"Sounds intriguing, although I was really hoping for a surprise I'd hate."

Loki gave her a look that seemed to say 'I am so not amused', but he couldn't help smirking at her laughter.

* * *

Loki leaned forward and paid the cab driver before exiting the vehicle, joining Grace on the street.

"What are we doing?" she asked, looking over at the large screen erected at one edge of the park.

"Movie in the park with a picnic," he said, holding up the bag.

Grace's lips curved into an impressed smile.

"Nicely done."

Loki's eyes flashed with amusement as he led her into the park to find a quiet spot, but with a good view.

"I'm sorry for this morning," she said quietly as they sat.

"You don't have to apologize," he muttered, wishing this topic wouldn't arise. "It was my fault. Just because my past is difficult to think about, doesn't mean I have to keep silent about all of it. I shouldn't shut you out completely."

Grace smiled at him softly as she reached over and took his hand.

"Thank you, and I don't need to know everything. There are just sometimes that I look over at you and you're obviously so conflicted. You don't need to keep all that inside of you. That burden doesn't have to be yours to bear."

Loki stared at her, recognizing what she was offering. No one had ever held that position in his life. He never had a confidante. No one that he felt he could truly trust.

He raised his hand and cupped her cheek, pulling her closer to capture her lips in a soft kiss which she returned before smiling against his mouth.

"So what movie are we seeing?" she asked, shifting to sit next to him to face the screen as it came to life.

When the opening for _Rear Window_ started, she gasped and turned towards him, grinning.

"How did you know?"

"An old, annoying bird told me."

She laughed and kissed his cheek.

"This is perfect, Loki. Thank you."

There it was.

That smile.

It completely undid him.

As she turned her gaze back towards the screen, he kept watching her, the way she laughed, the way she smiled, the light in her eyes, her hair gently blowing with the breeze.

Despite whatever disagreements, whatever misgivings or hesitancies they might have, Loki knew he was, for all intents and purposes, completely smitten with Grace Stewart.

* * *

The boys were eating a snack in the bookstore, Joey swinging his feet as he munched on apple slices while Jack flipped the pages of a pharmacology book.

"So how do you two feel about Grace dating Loki?" Betty asked, sitting at the table with them.

"I hope it works out," Jack said, putting a bookmark in between the pages. "Maybe then we'll all live as one big family. I could have someone to take to Bring Your Father to School Day."

Betty smiled sadly at the boy who seemed so forlornly optimistic.

"You won't," Joey said, "He's got to go back to space eventually."

Jack rolled his eyes.

"I like Loki. He's nice. He plays with us, and watches movies with us, and he listens to me and gives me advice. I just don't want him to leave. Ever."

Betty reached over and ran her hand over the older boy's hair.

"He likes you very much, too. I know this whole thing might take some getting used to, but you two need to be honest with Grace and Loki. Just remember that. You two are the important ones. Got it?"

They both nodded.

Betty smiled and got to her feet when she heard the bell above the door ring as someone entered the store.

A few moments later, however, she hurriedly rushed the boys upstairs with strict instructions to wait up there until Grace returned home.

* * *

"Did you like the movie?" Grace asked as they slid into the taxi.

"It was quite entertaining. I certainly enjoyed it more than those alien movies."

Grace laughed sliding her hands into her coat pockets.

"I just love everything about that movie. The suspense, the comedy, the dialogue. It's all perfect."

"And you practically have your own Stella, don't you?"

She chuckled again while she shrugged.

"Speaking of, I know you must have talked to Betty about this evening, so thank you for swallowing your pride and asking for her advice. I knew it must have been difficult, but it was worth it."

"I certainly think so, too."

Grace slid her hand from her pocket to take hold of his, her dark gaze focusing on their fingers, remembering the way he gripped her hands as he had slid inside of her the night before.

Her cheeks warmed slightly at the memory and when she looked up at him, she rolled her eyes at his knowing smirk.

"You are such a pain in the ass."

"Come on," he muttered, leaning towards her to whisper in her ear, "you know you love it when I play with you, don't you Grace?"

She shivered and pulled away just enough to stare at him.

"That voice," she whispered, shaking her head. "It was a sin against man to take that away from you."

His lips spread into a toothy grin as he laughed quietly.

"You know you're not without your own charms."

"Oh yes, your hair and shoe fetish."

"I suppose your personality is favorable in the right situation."

"Just like how I adore your constant mocking."

His long fingers curled around her jaw and turned her face towards his before kissing her gently, lingering against her as they shared a breath.

When she opened her eyes, her gaze was soft and loving.

They stayed quiet for the rest of the ride back. Once they paid, they slipped out of the back seat, Grace stretching as she walked towards the entrance of the bookstore.

Just before they walked in, Loki took hold of her arm and pulled her back towards him, pressing her against the wall near the gangway. His free hand cupped her face as he tilted it up and captured her lips with his, kissing her deeply. Again, he tapped her chin to get her to open her mouth, letting his cool tongue dip into the wet heat of her mouth, teasing her own tongue. Grace whimpered quietly, her hands raising to grip his shoulders and pulling herself closer, but just as she melted into him, he pulled away.

"The end of the date kiss is a part of the ritual, is it not?"

Grace licked her lips, breathing deep to slow her heart.

"Uh-huh," she muttered, shutting her eyes and shaking her head to get her common sense back after the havoc of his kiss.

"If you're smirking when I open my eyes, I will hit you," she warned.

And Loki quickly pressed his lips together.

When she did look up at him, she rolled her eyes at the mirth in his.

"Incorrigible ass," she muttered, leading him back towards the door.

"That's not what you were whimpering a few moments ago."

Grace couldn't help the smile that played at her lips as she entered the bookstore.

Just as she couldn't help the feeling of being doused with ice water at the sight of the person waiting for her inside.

* * *

_A/N: I know, I know. It's been too long. Work for the last two weeks have been complete hell. Besides that, I've been super tired and then had a bout of writer's block. I had to pull out a few tricks to get my writing back up, but I hope I can start churning out more chapters. This update was a mash up of some random scenes, but I think necessary for what is coming up next. Thank you for everyone who has stuck with me thus far. I'm glad you haven't given up on me yet. As far as future chapters go, I'm not sure if I'm going to put more smut in there, so it's up to you all. If you want more, then ask and you shall receive. For now, just please keep reviewing and letting me know what you guys think. I love the feedback and hopefully it will help me defeat this writer's block._


	14. Chapter Thirteen: With Heads Held High

Disclaimer: Not mine.

* * *

"What the hell are you doing here?" Grace asked. She could feel Loki standing behind her, watching the newcomer from over her shoulder, while Betty stood behind the counter, unusually quiet.

"I need to talk to you."

Grace stared at her older sister, her heart racing as she fluctuated between anger and shock. She hadn't seen her in nearly eleven years, yet she still looked the same, as tall, slender, and elegant as ever, standing in the bookstore as if she fit there perfectly. Mary always fit in perfectly, never a hair out of place, an article of clothes disheveled. Only the tight grip she had on her purse told of her anxiety of facing her sister.

"So talk," Grace replied, folding her arms over her chest.

Mary glanced over at the figure looming over her little sister, his presence slowly becoming more and more threatening as Grace's discomfort continued to rise.

"Could we do it privately?" she asked, wanting to get away from the powerful glare.

Grace clenched her jaw tightly, trying to calm her heart so she could think more rationally.

"Just say what you need to say already."

Mary breathed deeply and took a step towards her, only to stop once Grace retreated back, bumping into the man towering behind her.

If that was how it was going to be, then Mary would have to power through and get to the point.

"Next weekend is Mom and Dad's 50th wedding anniversary. The whole family is getting together, and Mom wants you to attend."

"No."

Case closed.

Grace stepped around her sister, obviously done with the topic.

"Grace, stop," she said, turning to follow her, only to pull back once her little sister whirled around to glare at her.

"Tell me, why the hell would I go back there? Hm? After you all just threw me out like I didn't matter. Give me one good reason why I should set foot back in that damn house."

"Because Mom's sick," Mary muttered.

Grace's anger faltered, the fire leaving her gaze, but her shoulders never lost their tension.

"How bad?" she asked after a long moment.

"Bad enough to take on Dad's anger in order to insist that you show up. We've all missed you, Grace."

"Bullshit."

"We have," Mary urged, hurt by her sister's derision. "You have no idea how hard it was to have our family fall apart."

"Yeah," Grace scoffed, "my fucking sympathies to you."

Mary winced.

"That's now how I meant it, and I know I should have said something, even tried to get a hold of you, but-"

"It's been ten years, Mary. _Lucy _was able to find me, for God's sake. Why couldn't my big sister find time in her busy life to see how I was? To see if I didn't end up on the streets or dead? Or did you just take Dad's side? Did you see me as ruined?"

"Of course not."

"Then why did you let them do that to me? You were supposed to look out for me. You were my big sister."

"I still am," she whispered, sadness filling her voice.

"No. You're not," Grace replied, her tone cold.

"Grace, please. I'm sorry. I was busy with school, and by the time I found out what happened you were already gone. Then, I just got involved in my own life. I have a career that I love; I'm married now. I have a daughter. She's a year and a half old, and she's beautiful. I just got wrapped up in everything, and I know it's no excuse for not fighting for you, but you know how Dad is. What he says goes. We've all made mistakes, Gracie, but we are all getting an opportunity to resolve some of this. Please, just… think it over. My husband, daughter, and I are all in town for the week, sightseeing. We're going to drive down Saturday morning for the party. We can stop here first. If you all want to go too, we're more than happy to give you a ride."

Grace stayed quiet, her gaze focused on the floor. She didn't know what to think, much less say. Every resentment she had felt was welling inside of her, the memories of her fears and anger filling her mind.

Mary continued to stare at her sister, wanting to reach out to her, but knowing that would only make it worse. Instead, she smiled awkwardly at the other two people in the room and left the store silently to let Grace think over the proposal.

Once the door was shut, Loki and Betty glanced at each other before the woman nodded and slipped into the back.

"Are you all right?" he said quietly, approaching her.

Grace inhaled sharply and turned to look up at him, steeling her features and voice.

"I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?"

An incredulous eyebrow rose while he slid his hands up her arms to cup the sides of her neck.

"Lying does not become you."

She licked her lips and reached up to gently hold onto his forearms.

"You can talk to me. Try to sort out whatever is going on in here," he muttered, nudging her forehead with his.

Grace took a deep breath and shrugged.

"Let's go put the boys to bed. I'll try to tell you what I can after."

Loki nodded, but leaned forward and kissed her temple softly.

Grace smiled up at him with a grateful look in her eyes as she squeezed him once more before moving away. He followed her up the stairs and into the apartment, where the boys nearly jumped them as soon as they were inside.

"What happened? Who's here?" Jack questioned, staring up at his mother.

"That's none of your concern right now. It's time for bed," she insisted.

Loki flashed her a confused look, but kept quiet. She didn't need any more conflict.

"I wanna know!" Joey shouted, stamping his foot.

If only Joey received the same message he did.

"Joey, go get ready for bed."

"No!"

She closed her eyes and counted to ten before facing the child.

"That wasn't a suggestion," she said in her 'mom' voice. "I will say this one last time. Go get ready for bed."

He glared at her, glancing quickly from Loki to Jack, who was already squirming, uncomfortable as the obvious display of disobedience.

The little boy crossed his arms over his chest and shouted another defiant "No!"

"Fine."

Grace walked briskly into the laundry room and grabbed a basket before going back into the living room before piling all of Joey's toys into it.

"What are you doing?" Joey screamed, his hands fisting at his sides.

"I told you to get ready for bed. You didn't listen, so now you'll no longer get your toys."

"Stop it!"

"Mom…" Jack whispered, clasping his hands together tightly, brow furrowing as watched on helplessly.

Grace ignored him as she went into the bedroom, gathering the little one's toys in there as well.

Joey started crying loudly, tears rolling down his cheeks as he continued to shriek at her, trying to pull the basket from her grip.

"I told you to get ready for bed, and you didn't listen."

"You're so mean! Give me my toys! You can't take them, you're not my mother!"

Grace winced, but didn't relent, opening the closet to get to his stuffed animals.

Jack slowly made his way over to Loki, who was watching the whole spectacle with concerned confusion. While Joey and Grace normally didn't get along, the screaming was new. When Joey let out a particularly high pitched wail, Jack gripped Loki's hand, squeezing it tightly.

"I don't like it when they fight," he whispered.

Loki watched Jack closely, remembering how difficult it had been when Thor had fought and argued with Odin. He had always clung to the side of the room, unable to escape, yet never being able to help. That impotence cut deep, no matter what age.

When he saw Jack's eyes start to fill with tears, he couldn't stand there and do nothing.

"Come on, Jack."

He led him out of the apartment and up the stairs, heading to the roof where he knew the boy's sanctuary was. The cool night air swept over them and Loki took off his jacket to give to the shivering boy.

"Thank you," he whispered as he sat down on one of the stools.

"You're most welcome."

Jack remained silent, sitting there as he stared down at his shoes, his forehead creased with worry.

"I know how you feel," Loki confessed, squatting down in front of the boy.

"You do?"

"My brother and my father used to constantly fight. Every time, I would have to stand there and watch it happen. I would try to interject, but usually I was scolded for interrupting. It hurts, doesn't it? To see two people you love argue so viciously."

This time, when the tears welled in Jack's eyes, they spilled over and stained his cheeks with sadness as he nodded.

"I know Joey should listen better, but I can't stand it when he cries like that."

Loki nodded.

"Your mother has to teach him that he can't talk back to her like that."

"I know. It still makes me sad," he sniffled. After a long moment, however, he looked up at Loki. "Can I have a hug?"

Loki tilted his head as he stared down at the forlorn child, whose dark eyes gazed at him with heartbreaking hopefulness.

Without answering, he wrapped his arms around the boy, letting Jack grip him tightly and bury his face in his shoulder. He listened to him cry quietly, waiting until his tears slowed and his sniffles finally stopped. The boy didn't pull away, and after a few more long moments, his breathing became slow and rhythmic. Loki craned his head back to confirm that Jack had fallen asleep.

Slowly, he lifted him completely into his arms and carried him down the stairs, pausing outside the apartment door to make sure there were no more screams and cries. Once he was sure all was quiet, he slipped into the apartment, seeing Grace rising from the couch to approach them.

Loki put his hand out to signal that Jack was sleeping. Grace nodded and led him to the boys' room. After Loki set him on the bed, Grace quickly put him into his pajamas. Loki glanced over and saw a sleeping Joey with a big stuffed animal tucked underneath the covers with him.

When Grace placed her hand on Loki's back to urge him out of the room, they both left, closing the door behind them.

"You got him to sleep?" he asked.

"Once he stopped being hysterical, yes. Was Jack okay?"

"Once he stopped crying, yes."

Grace's heart broke and she collapsed onto the couch, burying her face in her hands, not moving even as she felt Loki sit next to her.

"What a day," she muttered.

Loki chuckled quietly, reaching over to rub her back.

"It will be better tomorrow."

"I hope so."

Loki's hand slid up to massage the back of her neck, causing her to sigh.

"Do you want to talk about your visitor?"

She glanced over at him before shifting to face him.

"I suppose. I don't even know where to start, though."

"How about the beginning?"

Grace flashed him a look, but eventually nodded.

"I guess that means my family. The one who showed up today is my older sister, Mary. The smart, beautiful, graceful Mary. I always looked up to her, you know. I practically idolized her, but when she went away to school, I didn't get to talk to her as much. We were drifting apart even before I left. My little sister, Lucy, is Joey's mother, as you probably know already. She's the only family member I've been in contact with since I've lived in the city. I don't know how, but she how she hunted me down, but I barely talk to her now, even with Joey here. She's a real piece of work, both her and her husband."

She ran her hands through her hair and continued, staring down at her knees while she talked.

"My mother was always a quiet woman, submissive even, but I loved her dearly. She was always there for us, always willing to listen to our problems. I thought she was the best mother in the world. My father, however, is sort of a bully. He's very stubborn and close minded. If you don't do things his way, then you're obviously a horrible excuse for a human being. He ruled the house with an iron fist. I was never close with him, seeing as he always required complete excellence in whatever you did, and I just wasn't that good at anything. In a way, I think it was for the best. He just sort of skipped over me, but add that personality type to his religious beliefs, and well… when he found out I was pregnant… he didn't care how it happened. He told me that I betrayed our family, that I was tainted and should be ashamed of myself for what I did. He said I was the biggest disappointment and that he couldn't stand to look at me, so he kicked me out of the house. My mother had just stood there the whole time, watching. It didn't matter how much I cried, how much I apologized or begged for forgiveness. She just let him throw me aside."

Loki closed his eyes, remembering the look on his own mother's face during his sentencing, that broken look as she kept silent while her husband delivered his so called justice.

"Mary had been away at school, and Lucy was too afraid of him to try to step in to help. I didn't have much of a choice, my family turned their backs on me, so I came to the city. I eventually met Betty and now here I am, facing the decision if I can even handle going back to see those people."

Loki opened his eyes, watching Grace pick at her nails, her brow furrowed.

"Your mother is sick, though."

"I know," she whispered, biting her lip. "But I don't owe her anything."

The tears in her voice betrayed her anger, and Loki gently took hold of her hands.

Even after everything that Odin did to him, Loki never blamed his mother, never hated her. He knew that she spoke in his defense, but Odin never listened. Loki was smart enough to realize that, to acknowledge that truth without resenting her.

Grace, however, couldn't.

"Your mother obviously loves you, Grace. It could be that her dying wish is to reconcile with her daughter. I believe that your sister was right, that everyone has made mistakes. Won't you give her a chance to make amends?"

She stared at him, her hands shifting to clutch at his.

"I wouldn't know what to say to her."

"Then let her do the talking."

"But my father-"

Loki cupped the back of her head, firmly forcing her to look at him.

"Listen to me. You are not the victim here. Maybe when you were young, but now you're not. Ten years ago you may have been scared and vulnerable, you may have cowered in front of your bully of a father, but not now. Now, you're a grown woman, taking care of two boys, raising them and loving them. You sacrifice and love, Grace. You have absolutely nothing to be ashamed of, not one thing. That man has ruled over you long enough. Don't let him take anything else from you; don't let him steal this opportunity from you."

Grace stared into his eyes, listening to the words he whispered to her, her heart squeezing as tears clouded her vision.

"You really think I should do this?"

"You once told me that this life is more worthwhile than the one you left behind. If anything, it might be fun for you to rub it in their faces."

A sad smile curved at her lips as she nodded.

"I could do this, right? Face them all?"

"You won't be alone. Jack and Joey will support you, well… maybe not Joey so much."

She laughed quietly before tilting her head to the side.

"And you?"

His green eyes brightened with mischief as he smirked, running his index finger along her jaw.

"If you think for one second that I plan on missing out on watching you tear into those people when you inevitably get angry, then you are a true fool."

Grace rolled her eyes as she let out a long breath, feeling exhausted from the ups and downs of the day.

"So what are you going to do?" he asked, watching her closely.

"Hope that Mary's car can fit four more people."

Loki's smirk turned into a grin as he leaned forward to kiss her.

* * *

When she told the boys of their upcoming weekend plans, their reactions were very different.

Jack seemed almost petrified, believing that since they hated his mother for getting pregnant that they'd surely despise him on principle. The entire week he had brooded quietly, his nerves getting the best of him. His mother, however, told him how important this was, so he kept quiet, not wanting to let her down.

If she could do this, so could he.

While he worried incessantly, Joey was ecstatic, continuously talking about seeing his parents again and finally going home. He followed everyone around, informing them of how his mom and dad were finally picking him up, and how he'd live in a house with a big back yard, and get a puppy. They'd never yell at him and give him lots and lots of toys, and not once make him go to bed. Jack ignored him while Loki listened to the boy, humoring him as Grace smiled tightly at the not so thinly veiled insults thrown her way.

Grace, however, continued to ponder if this was the right choice. While it was definitely easier to leave that whole world behind, she didn't want Jack to think she shared her family's beliefs. She was so proud of him, of the life she had built. Loki was right. She had no reason to be ashamed. She could walk into that house with her head held high, knowing that she didn't need anything from those people, but God help them if they say anything negative to her son. Betty begrudgingly sided with Loki, telling Grace that if anything it was important for her to get closure.

So there they all were on Saturday, waiting in the bookstore.

Joey was practically bouncing off the walls with his excitement, while Jack sat quietly, reading one of his books, his fingers tight around the covers of the text. Grace stood by the door, staring out the window anxiously as Loki watched them, not partaking in the rising tension of the room.

When Grace saw the large SUV pull up to the curb, she flashed Loki a look before heading out to meet her sister who was exiting the car.

"So what did you decide?" Mary asked, squinting in the sunlight.

"Do you have room for four?"

Mary smiled and lunged forward, pulling Grace into a tight hug. The younger woman froze for a moment before she slowly wrapped her arms around Mary, squeezing her back.

"I failed you before, Gracie. I got your back this time. I promise."

Grace squeezed her even tighter, closing her eyes as she tried to let go of the resentment she felt for her big sister.

"Thank you," she whispered, pulling away and rubbing the palms of her hands on her jeans.

Someone exited the driver's side door and walked around the vehicle. Mary rushed over and took the man's arm, pulling him closer and introducing him as her husband David. Grace smiled politely before summoning the rest of her party out of the bookstore.

Joey came sprinting out, only to frown up at the couple before him.

"Where's my mom?" he complained, glaring over at Grace.

"Hi Joey," Mary cut in, leaning down so she was more on the boy's level. "I'm your Aunt Mary. Your mother's sister. I don't think you remember me, but I met you when you were just a baby."

Joey looked over her and her husband, unimpressed.

"Your parents will be at the house, Joey," Grace told him, as she put her hands on Jack's shoulders. "Mary, meet your nephew, Jack."

Mary straightened and looked at the boy who was pressing himself back against his mother's legs, his gaze flickering from her to her husband before settling on Loki, who gave him a pointed look and straightened his posture.

Jack took a deep breath and nodded before raising his head up, faking some confidence.

"It's nice to meet you," he said, putting his hand forward to shake the woman's hand.

Mary's smile softened while she shook the boy's hand.

"The pleasure is all mine, Jack."

Jack's lips curled into a shy smile, and he nodded.

"This is our alien, Loki," Joey said, pointing.

"Joey," Jack hissed.

Mary and David looked at the tall man in confusion as he offered no explanation, just a slightly mocking smirk.

"Sorry about that, it's sort of a inside joke," Grace explained. "His name is Loki, and he's…" Her brow furrowed as she tried to think of an appropriate description for him. "A close family friend."

Loki smirked, tilting his head in amusement as Grace fumbled with what to call him.

"Do you mind if he comes with us?"

"Of course not," Mary assured her, giving Loki one last unsure look. "The more the merrier."

Grace smiled as Mary went to the back seat.

"And one last introduction. This is my daughter, Lily."

Grace peeked around and gasped, covering her mouth at the baby girl sleeping in the car seat.

"She's adorable," she said, melting at the sight of her niece.

"Thank you. She's certainly a handful, but she's worth it."

"They always are."

"So are we ready to go then?" David asked, moving around the vehicle to open the other doors so everyone can pile inside.

"Yes, sure. Boys, get in the back seat, please."

The two scampered and climbed in while Grace turned to Loki as Mary and David got back into the car.

"You ready for this?" he asked.

"I think so," she answered, looking over her shoulder at the SUV. "I'll sit in the back with the boys since your long legs probably won't fit. You can sit next to the baby and take care of her when she wakes up from her nap."

The playful smile disappeared from his lips in a flash.

"What...?"

Grace laughed and patted his cheek.

"What?" she replied innocently. "You thought you were the only one who would have fun on this little trip? Oh, sweetheart, if I'm uncomfortable so are you. Just hope she doesn't need a diaper change on the way. Have fun," she laughed.

Loki stood there as she crawled into the back seat with the boys, leaving him to take the seat next to the sleeping baby.

Clenching his jaw, he shut the car door, already regretting pushing her to go on this trip.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for all the comments and alerts. Hopefully no one was disappointed with the reveal of the mystery guest. I'm hoping to update again soon, once I figure out what everyone is going to say to each other. I have about five different versions in my mind already, so I just have to get it all sorted and typed. Please keep up with the feedback, it helps with my short attention span.


	15. Chapter 14: Truth & Reconciliation

The long car ride was spent in either silence or polite small talk. Grace could feel herself getting more and more anxious as they got closer to their destination, her son not faring much better. Jack had leaned against her, wrapping his arms around her elbow and resting his head near her shoulder to snuggle into her side.

"Don't worry, buddy," she murmured to him as they turned into the neighborhood. "You'll be fine."

As for her… who knew?

David parked the car outside the house, while Mary twisted around to see Grace.

"David and I will head on in and let them know you're here, okay?

Grace nodded, licking her lips as she shifted in the seat.

"Can you keep an eye Lily?" Mary asked, motioning to the now awake baby.

"Sure thing."

The married couple left the car and made their way inside, leaving the rest of them packed in the back.

"Out… out," the baby muttered, stretching her arms out in front of her as she tried to sit up.

Grace watched as Loki stared at the little one as if she was some sort of wild animal, his gaze hesitant and wary.

"Loki," she said, pushing on the back of his seat.

He tore his stare from the girl and glanced at Grace, cocking an eyebrow.

"Do you think you could help the girl and get out of the car so we can move?"

"It is entirely possible, but I'm afraid you'll have to ask nicely."

She laughed humorlessly before glaring at him.

"That's a bold comment coming from you, considering my current mood."

Loki rolled his eyes but got out of the car, moving around it to open the door near the baby. As Jack and Joey tried to squish out at the same time, Grace frowned as the baby reached for Loki to get her out, only for him to stare at her again.

"Loki, for God's sake, hit the button to release the belt and get her out. I doubt she'll bite you."

Well she might, but he didn't need to know that.

"But… I-"

He sighed and awkwardly reached to free her, gingerly sliding his hands under her arms and lifting her, holding her straight out in front of him. The girl continued to reach out to him, but he just stared at her, leery.

Once the boys and Grace were out of the car, she came around and gently plucked the baby from his grasp, flashing him a 'what the hell?' look.

"How are you so good with the boys, but you're completely stumped with a baby?"

Loki shifted, watching as Grace pulled the girl against her, holding her bottom with her forearm as she used her free hand to fix the baby's little dress.

"The boys are merely miniature humans, while _that_ is almost a different species."

Grace's features scrunched up in confusion, only to soften as Lily began to babble nonsense, her little fists latching onto Grace's shirt.

"That's such a good story," Grace cooed softly, smiling brightly at the grinning baby once she was done with her string of noises.

Loki tilted his head to the side, stepping towards them.

"You understood what she was saying?"

Grace blinked and turned her head.

"_Really_…?"

He cleared his throat and straightened his posture while she went back to talking to the baby, laughing quietly at the baby's antics. His gaze flickered over her, observing her. She looked so natural with the girl, playing with her and smiling so beautifully.

It reminded him of the captions of her pregnancy and Jack as an infant.

"I found those pictures of you from when you were with child," he confessed. "You were glowing in them, and even now, with a baby in your grasp you are breathtaking."

Grace stared up at him, her lips parted as she tried to respond, only to frown slightly in confusion, her shock at the compliment turning into suspicion.

"Thank you," she said quietly, "That's very-… um… that wasn't a subtle way of-… you weren't suggesting anything… right?"

Loki narrowed his gaze, trying to understand.

"It was merely an observation that your maternal instincts and fertility are positive attributes that make you all the more appealing."

She continued to stare at him blankly, never liking it when he recited from his alien notebook.

It was weird.

Especially now.

"'Fertility'?"

"Well I would assume so, since you still are relatively young. I was given to understand that reproduction for women didn't cease until much later in life. Everything is still functioning, yes?"

"I…" Her gaze flickered around them wildly as she tried to find some solid footing for this conversation.

Best go with honesty.

"Loki, we're not having a baby."

He actually reared back a bit at that statement.

"I did not say that we were," he replied, his tone almost hurt.

"I'm not saying it's never a possibility," she backpedaled, not wanting to insult him. "It's just early, you know?"

"Yes, but you're the one who brought up procreation."

"No, I didn't."

"Yes, I was just complimenting you."

"That's it?" she questioned, apprehensive.

He nodded.

"Oh," she whispered, dropping her gaze. "I knew that…"

"Perhaps now is not the opportune moment for that conversation, wouldn't you say?"

"Obviously."

"Then why did you mention it?" he asked, even more confused that before.

The front door opened and Mary came back out, walking towards them.

"Oh thank God," Grace whispered, walking to hand the baby over to her sister.

"Everything all right?" she asked.

"Let's just say I'm almost eager to get into the house now."

Anything to avoid that clusterfuck of a conversation.

"Okay, well then… Lucy isn't here yet, so are you ready?"

"Yeah, we'll be right behind you."

Mary went back inside and Grace headed towards the boys, only for Loki to reach out and take hold of her elbow.

"I did not mean to upset you."

She took a deep breath and looked up at him.

"I know, you just knocked me off base there. It's fine."

"You make a wonderful mother, that is all that I meant by my statement."

"Just maybe next time you say _that_, instead of questioning my reproductive organs."

Loki smirked down at her and nodded.

"I believe I can handle that."

Grace smiled and quickly herded the boys together before leading them into the house.

Once inside, she couldn't help but look around, seeing everything as it was when she had left. The only difference was that all pictures of her were taken down from the walls and mantle. The small house had always been quaint and comfortable. Even the smell was the same, and Grace's chest tightened as the memories flooded her.

Coming home from school, eating family dinners, Christmas mornings, everything.

"Grace?"

She looked away from the pictures by the stairs to glance at the doorway into the kitchen, seeing her mother.

She was still petite, but paler and slightly more frail looking. Her hair had become more gray with time, but it was still styled the same way. Grace had tried to prepare herself for this encounter, but being in this house and seeing her mother before her… it was nearly overwhelming.

The older woman slowly approached her, wringing a dishtowel tightly between her hands.

"I couldn't believe it when Mary said you were here," she whispered in awe.

"Is he here?" Grace said, finally finding her voice.

"No, he went out to get ice," she answered as she looked her daughter over. "You look healthy."

"Why did you want to see me?" Grace asked, wanting to cut through the bullshit.

"Because I've missed you."

Grace shook her head and made to turn away, only to feel Loki's hand close over her shoulder and keep her in place, his other hand reaching past her.

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Stewart. My name is Loki. I'm a friend of your daughter's."

The woman pulled her hurt gaze from Grace to glance up at the man, smiling gratefully for his help as she shook his hand.

"It's nice to meet you, and, please, call me Kathy."

"And I'm sure you are looking forward to meeting Jack," he continued, motioning the boy over.

Jack stared up at the woman who gasped quietly, covering her mouth with a trembling hand. Tears welled in her eyes as she took a step towards him.

"You're so big."

Jack continued to stare at her, glancing at his mother who merely watched with a clenched jaw.

"It's nice to meet you, ma'am."

"I've been wanting to meet you for a very long time."

Grace let out a sigh, just as Loki squeezed her shoulder tightly and leaned forward to whisper into her ear.

"Try, Grace. She's your mother."

She turned her head to look up at him, seeing the pleading look in his eyes. Although she didn't understand why he was pushing this, she realized that this meeting wasn't only for her.

Letting out a breath, she nodded and turned back to her mother.

"Jack's first in his class at school. He's very bright."

"Is that so?" Kathy asked.

Jack nodded.

"And is that Joey back there? You've grown, haven't you?"

"Is my mom and dad here yet?" he asked, looking around the entryway.

"Not yet. Why don't you and Jack go on into the kitchen? There are snacks in there, and I'm sure you two are hungry after such a long trip."

Joey headed off down the hall while Jack waited for his mother's permission before following.

"So," Kathy said, staring at the two adults, "how did you two meet?"

"I was in a car accident, and Grace took care of me," Loki answered when Grace faltered for an answer.

"I work at a hospital, so…"

"A nurse?"

"No, x-ray tech."

"I see," Kathy replied, trying to keep any sort of conversation going. "Are you two married, or-"

"No."

Kathy nodded, the hopeful shock still in her eyes as she gazed upon her daughter.

"But you've been okay? Nothing bad or…"

"I'm happy," Grace confessed. "It was difficult for a while, but I'm happy."

Her mother smiled and nodded again, taking a step towards her and opening her arms as if to hug her daughter. Grace, however, stepped away, pressing herself back into Loki. She might have not moved very far, but the message was received and Kathy quickly dropped her arms, lowering her hurt gaze to the floor.

Loki watched the women, one so desperately trying to reconcile while the other could barely stand to be in the room.

A timer dinged in the kitchen and Kathy quickly excused herself and bustled away.

"I don't think I can do this," Grace muttered, turning towards him.

"Why?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

"Because you're angry?"

"And hurt and betrayed, take your pick."

"So you want to run away? I never took you for a coward."

She reeled back, insulted.

"_Excuse me_?"

"What? Did you expect this to be simple? You must have known it would be difficult, or do you just want me to coddle you?"

"Of course not, but you don't need to be an ass."

"Maybe you do," he pointed out.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Either be sad or angry. Talk about your feelings or yell at them, but you need to pick one. You cannot just keep all of this bottled up inside, Grace. I know what happens when you do, and it doesn't end well. You have an opportunity here to get some sort of closure, whether it is beneficial or a damn emotional massacre is up to you. Follow your own advice, Grace and say something."

She stared at him closely, begrudgingly acknowledging that he may have a point.

As always.

Nodding, she took a deep breath and looked over at the kitchen.

She could do this.

Grace gathered herself and walked over saying, "Mom, I just need to tell you that-"

Her words were cut off as the back door swung open and her father stepped into the house, the burly man's eyes narrowing at the sight of his long lost daughter.

And just like that it was as if Grace was seventeen years old again, unable to speak up for herself at the mere sight of the patriarch.

She couldn't help it.

"So you came crawling back, huh?" he asked, his rough voice the same as ever.

"I was invited," she muttered.

"Didn't mean you had to show up."

"George, please," Kathy whispered, "you promised to be civil."

Mary crept into the room, watching the tense scene in front of her before speaking.

"Mom, do you need help with the food?"

"No, sweetie. I have everything under control. Boys," she said, directing her attention to the silent children in the corner, "would you like to help me set the table?"

"No," Joey said.

Jack nudged him roughly and nodded, smiling politely.

Kathy gathered the necessary items and gave them to the children so they could go into the dining room and set up.

"All of you," she then said, "please calm down. We're together for the first time in a long while. All I want is for us to have a pleasant meal together. Okay?"

George grunted and walked out of the room, while Grace visibly relaxed as soon as he was gone, already feeling drained from the brief encounter.

Not soon after, however, the front door opened.

"I'm home!" Lucy shouted.

Joey quickly tossed the rest of the napkins on the table and darted around the corner, throwing himself into his mother's arms and squealing happily.

"There's my big boy! Did you miss me?"

"Yes! Where's Dad?"

"Oh, he couldn't make it today, baby. He's very busy with work so he stayed at the hotel."

Joey nodded and hugged her again.

"Careful, don't wrinkle the silk," Lucy said, gently prying her son off of her.

She took his hand and walked into the living room, seeing her father in his usual seat.

"Hello, Daddy," she greeted before kissing his cheek, continuing into the kitchen "Hi, everyone. Did you miss me?"

Kathy and Mary both greeted her, all smiling and hugging. Lucy cooed over the baby for a while, but didn't dare get too close. Finally, she turned to Grace.

"How have you been?"

"Busy," Grace said as Jack and Loki entered the room.

Lucy stared at the man and smirked.

"I can see that."

Grace winced, but otherwise shook off the comment. She had enough to deal with, she didn't need to focus on her sister's crass remarks.

"It's ready," Kathy announced, and began carrying the dishes to the dining room.

The family slowly gathered and sat at the table, the silence tense as George began to say a prayer.

Loki's brow furrowed in confusion and looked over to Grace who met his stare and shrugged, rolling her eyes.

Jack, who sat between his mother and Loki, lowered his head, but remained absolutely silent. His grandfather was an imposing man, and already the boy was nervous to be in the same room as him.

After the 'amen', the polite conversation started. Mary and David discussed their work and taking care of Lily. Lucy raved about her and her husband's grandiose travels around the world. Kathy mentioned the church's most recent activities for the neighborhood youth, while George griped about his colleagues.

There was a lull in the conversation and George finally set his sights on Grace.

"I see Joey has a bit of an obedience problem. I take it he's gotten that from you?"

Joey frowned, but was too busy murmuring to his mother about ninjas to really pay attention. Jack, however, glared down into his mashed potatoes. He couldn't say anything out of turn, since that would reflect badly on his mother.

"He's a bit stubborn, but he listens when it counts."

"And what about this one?" he asked, pointing his fork at Jack.

Grace grip on her knife tightened, her knuckles turning white as she stretched out her neck and shoulders.

"First of all, his name is Jack, and he's very well behaved. I'd appreciate it if you don't refer to my son as if he was an object worthy of your disdain."

"George, honey, he's your grandson."

"That boy is _not_ my grandson."

"For which I thank God for everyday," Grace commented. "You treat your own children as if they are trash. Why would I allow you to do the same to him?"

"If you would have behaved, we would have never had to punish you like we did."

"You didn't punish me! You both disowned me!"

"That's not true!" Kathy cut in, tears in her eyes as she got to her feet. "Let me show you something."

She left the room for a moment and came back, bringing a shoebox with her. Walking towards Grace, she opened the box and set it on the table.

"Look at these," she said, pulling out old photographs of Grace. School photos, baby pictures, trinkets she made as a child.

Grace watched as her mother handled them with such care and tenderness, her anger faltering slightly as how lovingly her mother handled the items of her past, even if they were kept in a box as if they were a dirty secret.

Loki glanced at the fury still in George's gaze and leaned over, quietly whispering in Jack's ear.

"It would be best if you take Joey outside for a bit."

Jack glanced up at him before nodding. He quickly got up and retrieved Joey, who protested mildly until his mother shooed him off too. Even David picked up Lily and left the room, sensing that this was merely the eye of the storm.

And the worse was yet to come.

"I go through it all the time," Kathy murmured, "Just looking at the pictures of you, remembering the good times, wondering what your life is like. I know I may have stopped being your mother, Gracie, but you've always been my daughter. I've always loved you."

Grace watched as her mother cried silently, holding a picture of her to her heart.

"Then why didn't stop him?" she whispered desperately, finally voicing the question that had plagued her for ten years. "Why did you make me go?"

Kathy stared down at her daughter, her lower lip trembling.

"A wife must support her husband."

"No," Grace said, shaking her head as her vision blurred with her own tears. "That's not good enough. Tell me why."

"It's complicated, Gracie Bell. You don't understand."

"No, you don't, mother. For God's sake, I was seventeen! I was terrified and alone, and all I wanted was for you to hold me and tell me that everything was going to be okay. My whole world was crashing down around me, and the only thing I wanted was my mother and you threw me out. Just like that! Like I was nothing. Don't you understand that? Don't you get it?" she shouted, getting to her feet. "You're my mother and you didn't care. Now, I know you're sorry, but so am I. I can't forgive you. You think you can just show me some old photographs and everything will be okay?"

"I just want my daughter back."

"Well you should have thought of that years ago!"

George slammed his fist on the table, glaring at Grace as he rose to his feet.

"Now I've had enough of this. I won't have you come into _my_ house acting like a self righteous bitch."

Grace wiped the tears from her face.

"It's not self righteousness. It's common _fucking_ sense. You act like you have some authority on parenting. You don't know anything. You don't get it at all do you? A parent is always there for their child. Nothing, absolutely _nothing_, is unforgivable. I love my son more than anything in this world. I would die for that boy. When he needs me, I'm there, no matter what. But you… you never cared. You're not worthy of the title of father. A stranger we took into our home has been a better father to my son than you ever were to me. Honestly, at this point, I don't give shit what you think. I don't owe you anything. I made my own way. I work hard, and I provide for my family. You can look down on me from your fucking pedestal all you want, but you know what the truth is… you're just a pathetic, angry man whose hatred forced him to miss out on the love of his family, because that boy outside… he's amazing. You'll never get to know him, and that's your loss."

Grace stared at her father before pushing the chair in and heading outside to go check on the boys. The rest of the women quietly trickled out of the room, leaving Loki and George, the former watching the latter coolly.

George glowered at Loki.

"It doesn't matter what she says or what role you play in that boy's life. There's a reason why bastards are a sin. He'll turn out to be a fuck up, mark my words."

A cruel look flashed over Loki's features as he calmly rose from his spot and approached the other man, his height overpowering the bulky man's.

"All right, fair enough, now mark _my_ words, if you ever talk about Jack like that again, there's nothing that your _God_ can do to protect you. You may be the king of this household, but believe me when I say that I have made stronger men beg and plead for the sweet release of death, and you will not be shown the mercy I gave them."

Loki tilted his head to the side, his cold, green eyes taking in the hesitant form of George Stewart as his true personality flowed through him.

"And let's keep this little conversation between us, shall we? I don't need your daughter finding out she's living with a man who has so much blood on his hands. It might dampen the romance a bit. So why don't you go upstairs and stay there until we decide to leave."

George tried to puff up and reply but one last look into the sadistic features of the man in front of him had him slowly edging around the man and heading up the stairs.

A ruthless smirk curled at Loki's lips as he relished the fear he had instilled in the normally brutish man. It was like a homecoming being able to feel that again.

Not bad for a semi-whipped ex-super villain.

* * *

Grace sat down on the porch steps, her son sitting next to her.

"Do they all hate me?" Jack asked quietly.

"No, buddy. My dad may hate me, but… fuck him."

Jack jumped and whipped his head around to stare at his mother with wide eyes.

Grace laughed at the reaction and reached over, pulling him closer and into a hug.

"Sorry, but I couldn't think of another way to express the sentiment."

Jack chuckled a little awkwardly, but nodded.

"What about your mom?"

"I don't know."

"Can I tell you something?"

"Sure," she said, glancing over as Loki stepped out onto the porch behind them.

"I think you should forgive her."

Grace's brow furrowed as she stared down at her son.

"Why's that?"

"She regrets what she did. You always say that if someone is sincere in their apology, they should be given a second chance. I know you were sad a long time ago, but we're okay now. We're happy, right? Wouldn't it be better to let go of all the bad stuff? If she loves you and she's sorry, why can't we try to be a family?"

The rest of Grace's anger slowly melted away from her heart as she listened to her son, her eyes closing with a sigh.

How was he so insightful when all she could see was her hate?

"You're probably right, buddy."

"Well I _am_ smart," he said, leaning into her with a smile.

Grace opened her eyes and wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

"I'll speak with her again before we leave, okay?"

Jack nodded while Lucy popped her head outside and asked to speak with Grace.

Loki took Grace's spot as she got to her feet and went inside, smiling at Joey who was following his mother around, practically stepping on her heels.

"Joey, baby, go wait outside with Jack."

The boy looked crestfallen, but obeyed.

"He misses you a lot," Grace said, turning her gaze back onto her younger sister. "I'm glad you came today. I'll obviously need your address for all the stuff. I'll miss the stinker-butt, but he belongs with you."

Lucy fiddled with her earring.

"About that…"

A cold feeling swept over Grace as her gaze hardened.

"Lucy, no. You can't."

Lucy sighed and rolled her eyes.

"If you're short on money for taking care of him, we can always put a check in the mail and-"

"Forget the money, Lucy. Joey needs his mother and father."

Her spine straightened in response as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"He has us, Grace. We call on his birthday and holidays, and I'll always be in town for the milestones."

"He needs you more than that. You have to be there all the time. It's about being there everyday, making sure he washes behind his ears and eats his vegetables. It's about being there for him when no one else is, to take care of him and love him when he feels alone. Don't you get that?"

"You don't think I feel bad about this? I do, but with our lifestyle we're always traveling and going to parties and galas. I don't have the time to take care of him."

"No. You choose not to have the time. You can't keep dragging this out, Lucy. Everyday he asks about you, wanting to know when you're going to pick him up and take him home."

"I don't know what to tell you, Grace. I discussed this with my husband, and at this point in our lives it makes more sense to further our careers. Other people have nannies, so what's the difference?"

"The difference is that you never even see him, while all he thinks about is how much he misses you."

"So you won't take him?"

Grace sighed and stared at the ground for a long moment before looking up at her sister.

"I will never turn him away, Lucy. Never, but if you're going to abandon him again, you're the one talking to him about it. I won't be the bearer of bad news. He's your son. You tell him why you're too busy to care for him."

Without another word, Grace went back outside, slamming the door behind her.

Loki got to his feet as she walked towards him, her hands running through her hair.

"What happened?"

"Jack, buddy," she said, "Can you go find your Aunt Mary and see how she's doing?"

The boy frowned in confusion but obeyed, heading into the house.

Once he was inside, she pulled Loki to the side.

"I've had about as much of this family as I can take," she confessed.

"What did your sister want?"

"To further prove how selfish people can be."

Loki stared at her blankly for a moment.

"A successful endeavor by your current mood."

Before she could answer, Lucy called out for Joey.

As the boy ran to meet his mother, Grace reached out and took Loki's hand.

"Come on, we're going to be needed inside."

Despite his confusion, he followed.

Inside, Lucy knelt in front of her son, her hands holding onto his arms.

"Are we going home now?" Joey asked excitedly, bouncing on his toes.

"That's what I need to talk to you about, sweetie. You're going to stay with Grace."

The bouncing stopped.

"No," he muttered, his little brow furrowing, "I'm going with you. You're my mommy."

"I sure am, it's just that your father and I are really busy."

"But you're my mom."

"It's easier if you stay with Grace," she tried to reason.

"No. I want to go with you. I promise to be good. I won't be bad."

"Joey, you need to listen to me. You can't come with me. You're going to live with Grace and Jack from now on."

"No! I want to go with you! You're my mom!" he cried, tears in his eyes, his lip trembling as his hands gripped her tightly.

"No, you can't. Now you need to be a big boy, okay?"

Lucy got to her feet and turned as Joey let out a loud cry and quickly fisted the material of her pants, pleading with her to not leave him.

"Mommy, please! Don't leave me! I promise to be a good boy! Take me with you!"

Grace's grip tightened around Loki's hand as she watched the hysterical child, tears streaming down his face, his cries getting louder and more desperate as he tried to hold onto his mother with all the strength in his small body.

"Joey, no! You have to let go! You can't come with me."

Lucy reached down and tried to pry his little fists from her pants.

"No! Please! Mommy, no!"

Loki could feel Grace trembling beside him, her eyes filled with sadness at the sight of the boy begging for his mother's love. He looked away, closing his eyes as he heard the agony in Joey's tortured cries, the vision of him grappling for his parent.

"Joey please, I have to go."

"Take me with you! I'll be a good boy, please mommy. I promise! Please! Don't leave me!"

Lucy picked her head up and glared at her sister.

"Grace! Do something!"

Grace took a deep breath and blinked the tears back. She knew that Joey already thought she kept him from his mother. If she literally took him from her, there was a good chance he'd hate her.

But that was her cross to bear.

He might fight with her, argue with her, but she loved him. She'd care for him regardless of his behavior. She'd always be there for him, even if he never wanted her.

She released her death grip on Loki's hand and slowly walked towards the screaming boy, and, after a moment's hesitation, she knelt down next to him just as Lucy freed herself from his grip.

"Remember Mommy loves you, sweetie. I'll call you on your birthday," she said before quickly slipping out of the house, leaving Joey sobbing and shrieking for her as his body collapsed. Grace quickly scooped him into her arms, holding him to her tightly and rocking him back and forth as she shifted and sat on the stairs.

Joey buried his face in her neck, his hot tears warming her skin as his hands now gripped her shirt, desperately holding onto her. She rested her chin on the top of his head , one arm behind his back while the other hand cupped the back of his head, cradling him to her as if he was a baby.

"Shh, it's all right," she murmured to him, closing her eyes.

Loki watched the scene, unable to move, not even as the other members of the family trickled into the hallway. How was she able to do this? How could she one day bear the insults and anger of the disobedient child only to step in and care for him the next?

How did she do it so easily?

Grace opened her eyes, her lost gaze finding Loki's admiring one. They stared at one another from across the room, unable to speak.

There were just no words.

How could he convey his wonder and affection for her when he didn't even know the depth of it?

How could she tell him how much she needed his presence, how much just feeling him standing with her gave her the peace of mind and confidence she never felt before?

Once Joey's wracking sobs quieted into quiet tears and hiccups, she pressed a kiss to his hot forehead.

"Let's go home, okay?" she whispered to him.

His breath hitched, but he nodded, keeping his head buried.

Grace held him tighter as she stood, glancing at Mary who was already getting Jack and Lily ready for the car ride.

Kathy quietly moved towards her.

"Grace, I just want you to know that-"

"I know, Mom," she said quietly, trying to make peace. "I'll call you this week, okay? Maybe we can try to move past everything."

Kathy smiled sadly and nodded, her eyes filled with hope.

"That's perfect."

It was a start.

Mary ushered everyone else out while Loki pressed his hand to the small of Grace's back, directing her out of the house and to the car.

Loki folded his long legs up as he sat in the backseat with Jack, leaving Grace to sit with Joey still in her lap, knowing he was moments away from crying himself to sleep.

Mary turned to her with a sympathetic look as David started the car.

"Are you all right?"

"We'll be fine, Mary," Grace sighed. "Just take us home."

That's all they needed right then.

Home.

* * *

_A/N: Thanks for all the reviews and alerts. It means a lot. Sorry if parts of this chapter seemed choppy or rushed, but it was a real bitch to write. I could only try to stay in an emotional state for a short period of time without getting distracted by something else. Either way, I hope everyone likes it. Please let me know what you think. I love the feedback. Also, ten ultimately meaningless points for those who can identify the source of the chapter title._


	16. Author's Note

I usually get annoyed when writers put an author's note as a chapter, but I figured I owed it to you all anyway.

Due my busy schedule and the local heat wave making my computer practically melt from the inside, I have not been able to really write.

Besides that, because of some comments I have received I am considering revamping my original plotline for this story from the current chapter onward. I had the whole thing pretty much set in stone from the beginning, but now am reconsidering various portions of it. I am not 100% sure what to do with it, and I'd rather wait for a bit and get my story straight instead of rushing and writing chapters that inevitably include more useless and irrelevant references and create more holes in the plot.

I'm going to try to get it all straightened out and update with chapter by this weekend, but only time will tell.

Thank you for all who are going to be patient and stick with me.

For those who will lose interest, I apologize. No hard feelings.

Although to thank all of you who do wait, I'm going to make sure the next chapter has some smut, since nothing says thank you like porn.

Sidenote: the last chapter's title was from the video game Halo, congrats to the few that got it. To those who didn't: SHAME!


	17. Chapter 15: The Aftermath

Disclaimer: Not mine

* * *

Loki pressed his fingertips against his mouth, his gaze focused on the sleeping woman in the seat in front of him, nephew in her arms. His eyebrows pulled together as he considered her not only as a mortal, but as a mother and a friend.

Their earlier reproductive misunderstanding had somehow managed to be both confusing and enlightening, his mind relentlessly analyzing her reaction to his attempt at a compliment. Shocked and thrown, yet not completely against the idea. Long ago, Loki had considered a family, a wife and heirs, but as his role in Asgard became more and more defined, as he became more spiteful towards his family and Asgardians, starting his own family seemed inconvenient and impossible. Why would he bring a child into an environment where he himself barely felt at home?

But now... if this was his life, if all opportunities for power and prestige was gone, would he want a family?

In general?

No.

With her?...

He could not deny that seeing her with a baby in her arms elicited some sort of instinctual response within him. Already, he knew she loved her children unconditionally, without reservation.

She had said it herself.

For her children, nothing was unforgivable.

But could he say the same for himself?

Loki knew he was vindictive, spiteful, and merciless. He manipulated his loved ones, put his interests first, even cloaked them with the assurance that his vices were for others' benefit.

How could he be a good father if these traits were a part of his personality repertoire? How could he burden himself with the responsibility of an heir if he might twist the child into a more vicious being than himself?

Beside him, Jack's sleeping form shifted, his head coming to settle onto Loki's arm as he once more in drifted into his slumber.

Staring down at the boy, Loki tried to imagine a scenario where he would be cruel to the boy, but his mind failed to conjure one. In fact, his stomach churned with the idea that he could cause this child pain. Even seeing Grace discipline the boys with a mere scolding occasionally put him on edge.

Rolling his eyes, Loki let a cynical smirk twist his lips at the idea that he would be the parent that spoiled his children, that he of all people would be the good cop.

_How ironic._

As he returned his gaze to Grace, he let himself fantasize.

_Imagining Grace's smile as she told him she was with child._

_Caring for her as she grew round with his son or daughter growing inside of her._

_Pressing his forehead to her temple while she gripped his hand tightly, barely hearing his whispered words of encouragement as she fought to bring their infant into the world._

He had never been around infants before, although he made that blatantly obvious this afternoon. They were just beings he never had any particular interest in before.

It was not as if he was opposed to them on principle; he could learn how to care for one. He was a quick study, and with a mentor like Grace, he knew he'd succeed.

Extending his free arm, he rested his wrist against the headrest of Grace's seat, his fingers gently brushing against her hair, wondering if a life with her, a family with her, would be enough.

Would he feel the pull of power again, of retribution? Need to stare into his enemy's eyes as the life drained out of him before giving the knife one final twist?

Shaking his head, he pulled away from her and leaned his head back.

Now was not the time for such thoughts. Not after today.

The meeting with her family had been tumultuous at best, exhausting everyone emotionally from the tension that had festered for a decade.

The eldest sister, although not as nearly self-centered as the youngest, had ignored Grace for so long, so caught up with her own life, not even attempting to reach out and contact her exiled sibling. While Grace was clearly trying to reconcile with her, Loki wondered what brought on the sister's sudden need for a truce. What happened to give the woman the impetus to face her sister's derision and scorn?

Perhaps it was the baby girl's influence. Maybe bringing that girl into the world and experiencing what it meant to be completely responsible for another's existence snapped her from her selfish stupor and opened her eyes to the obstacles Grace had to overcome.

Loki knew from experience that empathy had a strange way of slipping through the walls of the most guarded individuals.

All he knew about Mary though was that this 'supportive sister' act better stick, because if she decided to abandon her sister again, if she broke Grace's heart, he'd pull hers out of her chest.

Similar to their own God's 'an eye for an eye' mentality.

He could work within their belief system; he'd make the effort.

That's just the type of guy he was.

Besides, there had been enough tangible evidence around the house of how devout Grace's family was. Portraits of their savior hung on the wall, a cross here and there.

One merely needed to be in the occupants' company for a few moments to recognize the hypocrisy of their ways.

Regardless, Grace's childhood home was, for lack of a better word, quaint. A two-story house, big yard, fence, etc. It was the stereotypical home that Loki had read about. Inside was cozy, pictures of family and friends, vacations and school images and sundries, all excluding Grace of course.

A shame as he was curious as to what she looked like as a child. Did she always have that glow about her or was it a byproduct of her triumph over struggles?

And her continuing battles.

When Grace had interacted with her mother, it had been awkward to watch. The older, sick woman clearly wanted, _needed_, some sort of relationship with her daughter, but Grace was initially so cold to her, shutting her down. Not that Grace didn't have a right to be, she had been hurt by these people. He understood that, but she was normally so warm and caring. It had been a jolt to see her become so unsympathetic to her family.

She nearly reminded him of himself, and Loki didn't want her to regret her behavior down the road, to regret how she burned those bridges when one day she might need them once more.

So he had stepped in, introduced himself and Jack, and received a fairly warm welcome. Their conversation from then on was stilted, but not too bad. The woman obviously held no animosity towards Jack, and, of course, the boy was as well behaved as ever.

When Grace faltered again, sliding back into that nexus of hesitation and hurt, he had to push her. She wasn't a delicate little flower. She knew it. He knew it. The world knew it.

She got her confidence back after his not so peppy pep talk.

Only it hadn't gotten her far, not with her father walking through the door.

Loki hated the man on sight.

Well, it wasn't as if he had fuzzy feelings towards him to begin with, but seeing the man, the father, that punished his young daughter for no reason, seeing him cause this normally strong and loving woman freeze, forced Loki to restrain himself from going on the offensive.

And by offensive he meant dismemberment.

The rising tension, however, had briefly been broken by the arrival of the infamous Lucy. Loki could not believe Joey's reaction to her. His smiles and laughter, his unimpeded joy and absolute obedience.

Who the hell was this kid?

What happened to the stubborn little boy?

How could the presence of one vapid, self-obsessed woman change his behavior so quickly?

Loki struggled to accept how one small family could have so many members that he instantly abhorred.

But still, he bit his tongue. He stayed pleasant while the dinner had been served, tried not to openly smirk when Grace rolled her eyes during the prayer, and stayed quiet during the idle chitchat during the meal.

And then, it all went down the proverbial hill from there.

The man had went after Grace's parenting skills, insulting Jack and Joey, but Loki watched Grace, pride swelling within him as she didn't back down, the fire in her eyes as she snapped back.

And then her mother had stepped in again.

Loki quickly sent the boys out of the room, knowing that the upcoming scene would be too much for them to bear.

While on the outside, her mother's tearful pleas seemed heartfelt, as he watched the woman in front of him he felt his compassion for the elderly mother figure dwindle down to nothing. Seeing the box of Grace's things, her pictures and tokens hidden away in a little box, as if the mere images and memories of her were something that deserved shame and secrecy.

Yet when Grace questioned why her mother never fought for her, six simple words were the answer.

A wife must support her husband.

That answer sent him back, remembering how his mother watched silently as he was punished by his father, silently witnessed as his father tore him apart.

_A wife must support her husband._

But in his case, a queen must support her king.

He understood the premise, but both women chose their spouses over their children, watched as they suffered, their punishment far outweighing their crimes.

Such unquestionable loyalty they had.

While normally an admirable trait, it's virtue is only dependent upon the other, and choosing a stubborn, ignorant brute of a man as your leader was an action of a complete fool.

And only a fool would follow George Stewart.

A sanctimonious, ignorant bully of a man who judged and condemned Grace.

Yet again, she rose to his challenge, proving yet again that she was above these people.

Grace loved her son unconditionally.

_Nothing is unforgivable._

While Loki had no trouble believing this coming from her, it still shocked him to hear. He honestly knew that no matter what Jack or Joey ever did, Grace would always love them and fight for them. Loki had watched her as she said this, then continued on to say how he, a stranger, was more of a father than George had been to Grace.

She had noticed that?

She was okay with that?

He did care for the boys, wanting to help protect them and help guide them through life, but he didn't know that was something she thought about.

It astonished him that she would welcome him to play that role to these boys.

It humbled him.

Deeply.

Joey murmured in his sleep and buried his face deeper into Grace's shoulder, drawing his attention.

The boy must be utterly exhausted.

It had been painful to watch as his mother walked out on him, having to pry her own son's pleading hands from her person. Loki could still hear the boy's desperate cries, feeling a pain that no child should ever feel, much less on as young as he was.

How could a mother be so callous? It was bad enough to be a silent bystander to your child's pain, but to be the sole cause, to be so cruel as to abandon your son when all he ever wanted was to be close to you.

Loki could vividly remember hanging above the abyss, staring up at his father, needing him to know why he did the things he did, needing him to be proud of him.

But all he had said was _no_.

With one word, he had condemned him.

Set him on a downward spiral that ended with him watching a city burn, people die, and him chained and muzzled liked a wild beast with no one to act as an advocate.

Not one person realized his plight.

Every single individual who supposedly loved him just turned away, ignoring him when he tried to ask for help or assurance.

They told him he was imagining things, that he was mistaken.

His body still tensed when he thought of his father, of the treachery that was enacted upon him, but a part of him was thankful because it led him to this moment, this epiphany that while he may no longer be a god or a king, no longer wield power over others, he still mattered to some people. If he disappeared, Grace and the boys would mourn for him, truly experience grief in his absence.

Not the hollow emotions his brother and parents must have felt.

As they pulled up in front of the bookstore, all Loki could wonder was if he could sincerely reciprocate that love and devotion.

* * *

Grace awakened with the sound of her sister's quiet voice calling her name, informing her that they arrived back at her home.

She smiled softly at her sibling as she sat up slowly, cradling a still sleeping Joey in her arms.

"Thanks for the support, Mary," she whispered.

Her sister nodded.

"Of course. We're heading back east tomorrow morning, but do you think we can try to stay in touch?"

"Sure," she said, wanting to point out she was never the one to shut members of the family out. "Just give me a call, whenever."

Reaching back, she gently nudged Jack, waking him.

"Come on, buddy. We're home."

Jack lifted his head from Loki's shoulder and rubbed his eyes tiredly, yawning.

Grace slipped out of the car, Jack stumbling behind her as Loki tried to help keep the tired boy balanced. Once the four were on the sidewalk, they watched as the car drove away.

"Finally," Grace sighed, turning to lead them inside where Betty was still puttering about in the store.

The woman greeted them quietly, not wanting to wake them up or question them immediately.

"I'm going to put the boys to bed," Grace said, directing Jack to the back, leaving Loki downstairs in the store.

Once Grace and Jack climbed the stairs, the boy took the keys from his mother to open the door so she didn't have to juggle Joey.

"I'm happy we're home," Jack said as soon as they were inside.

"Yeah?"

"I like it when it's just the five of us. I'm also happy Joey is staying. I like having a brother."

Grace's heart twisted with emotion as she smiled at her son.

"You're a good boy, you know that?"

He smiled at her as they went into the boys' room.

Jack grabbed his pajamas and went into the bathroom to brush his teeth while Grace gently set Joey onto the lower bunk, although the little one was so tuckered out she could have tossed him and he probably wouldn't have even noticed.

Soon, both boys were tucked away in dead to the world.

Grace went into the bathroom and shut the door, hanging her head for a long moment before turning on the shower. As the water warmed and steamed the room, she stripped out of her clothes, her mind constantly replaying the worst moments of the day.

And there were plenty.

She couldn't stop herself from second guessing her actions, feeling shame for some of the things she said, regret over others.

"I have no idea what I'm doing," she whispered to herself, stepping into the shower and under the water.

No idea at all.

* * *

"So how did it go?" Betty asked after the Grace took the boys up the stairs.

Loki sighed and leaned against the counter.

"I'm sure Grace will tell you all about it tomorrow."

"Well I want to hear it from you. Humor me."

"What's there to say? One sister left her for the dogs, the other used her and abandoned her kid, her father is a bigoted coward while her mother is nothing but a simpering pushover."

"Wow, Loki, tell me what you really think? Did she at least get some answers from her mother about why she never tried to get in touch with her again?"

"Yes. She said 'A wife must support her husband.' Answer me this, as a wife, did you follow that rule explicitly?"

"Of course I did," Betty said, straightening her posture. "I unwaveringly supported my husband's decision to agree with whatever I said."

Loki laughed quietly. "I'm not surprised."

"Seriously though," Betty continued. "Earl and I were partners in our marriage. It wasn't a game of follow the leader, we were a team. We both had strengths and weaknesses, both had dreams and fears, but we were fine on our own, but together we were great. I don't have one regret when it comes to him."

"Why did you not procreate?"

Betty flashed him a confused look, the one she gave when he spoke in what she called 'Vulcan talk'.

"A number of reasons. Earl had a real bad childhood. His pop was an abusive drunk, always on a tear. Although my Earl wouldn't hurt a fly, couldn't even, he was terrified that he might one day become a man like that. He didn't want to risk it. Then we found out I couldn't even have children, so it all balanced out in the end. We once tried to be foster parents, had a sixteen year old boy stay with us for a while. Danny Anderson. That poor boy had a rough go at it. Parents were a mess, hated him for even existing. He was removed from the home young, bounced around homes for a long time before he came to us. He had so much pain inside of him, all the time. We did what we could to help, to give him a place in the world, to love him, but he was a junkie already. We were supposed to report it, but we never did. We knew that it would only get worse for him. We tried everything we could think of for him, but you can't help someone who doesn't want it."

Loki winced slightly, knowing that was something his own family could attest to. Thor constantly tried to talk sense into Loki, telling him he was loved, but Loki was lost to his wrath, never listening to him.

"One day I found him in his room... dead. Overdose."

Betty glanced up from the pile of books she was sorting. Her wise eyes meeting Loki's hesitant stare.

"You remind me of him, you know."

Loki's brow furrowed.

"How so?"

"There's a darkness inside you, just like there was in him. I know you're no drug addict or anything like that, but it's something... something inside of you that you're constantly fighting back, isn't there?"

His jaw tightened as he dropped his gaze.

"You don't need to tell me what it is... in fact, I think it's best if you don't. Besides, you're not on the edge like he was. He felt like he had no reason to fight, but you've found your reason... in fact I'm pretty sure you found three."

His breathing quickened as he listened to the woman, not knowing how she could be so observant, how he could have let this old woman see him so clearly.

"I just want to make sure you know that you're not the only one fighting. Grace tries to act like she has it all figured out, like each and every day isn't a constant battle, constantly worrying and fretting about if she's doing right by those boys. It's overwhelming for her sometimes, but you give her peace, Loki. For better, for worse, darkness or not, you make her happy, you comfort and support her, and whether she's told you this or not... she loves you. Those boys love you."

Loki swallowed hard, feeling his hands tremble slightly at hearing those words.

"What do I do?" he whispered, staring at the woman. "What if that darkness comes back?"

"You fight it with everything you've got, Loki. You remember what it feels like to be loved and needed and you fight like hell to keep that love."

They both were quiet, Loki staring at the ground, Betty watching him.

Was the answer that easy?

Just push it back?

Loki had always been one to fight for what he wanted, but was he going to be able to fight himself.

Taking a deep breath, he nodded.

For them... for her, he certainly was going to give it all he had.

"For a nosy, opinionated old bat, you are not so bad."

"Right back atchya, you smug, pompous bag of sarcasm."

Loki smirked at her smile.

"Now go upstairs and make sure Grace is actually okay and not just saying it."

He nodded and headed towards the back stairs.

Although she gossiped constantly, Loki knew he could trust Betty to keep that conversation between themselves.

Because letting Grace find out about that darkness was just not an option.

Loki locked the apartment door behind him before checking on the boys and finding them fast asleep.

He gazed at them for a moment, watching them as they slumbered away in their beds, looking so peaceful despite the turmoil they had endured that day. He wondered what long term damage had occurred today. What insecurities and vulnerabilities were branded into their psyches, what animosity and doubt would cloud their judgments when they were older.

Or would the power of Grace's parenting help circumvent the damage?

Would the stability of her presence and love in their lives be enough to balance all the wrongdoings of the other relatives?

They were both good boys; he hoped it would be enough.

He would hate to see them become like him.

Shaking his head, he closed their bedroom door and went to make his way to the other bedroom, but never got past the bathroom.

He could hear shower running, but beside that he could hear the random slamming of objects inside. Frowning, he stared at the door for a long moment before finally slipping into the bedroom and pulling off his clothes and sitting on the bed.

* * *

Anger tensed her shoulders as she rested her hands against the wall of the shower, hanging her head so the water beat down on the back of her bunched muscles.

Closing her eyes, she tried to breathe deeply, to calm down, but all she could think about was all the spiteful or pleading moments.

_How dare they!_

_How fucking dare they try to lure her into another fight!_

As if her mother hadn't known the shit her father would say.

Her fingertips pressed against the cool tile, nails scraping against the grout.

"I hate my family."

Her whispered words were drowned out by the rushing water.

She should have known better.

She should have thrown her sister out the instant she saw her.

She should have protected Jack from the condemnation of her father.

She should have ignored the pleas of her mother.

She should have kept Joey from his parents, bearing his hatred instead of breaking the child's heart.

Why could she never get anything right?

Why was she constantly hurting the ones she loved?

Now she was stuck trying to reconcile with two people she didn't need.

She had Betty, why would she need a mother who was too weak to fight for her child?

She had Katie, why would she need a sister who was too self-obsessed to reach out to help her sister?

That whole visit was completely useless and only served to hurt.

Loki was wrong, and she should have never listened to his advice.

She knew he was trying to help her right the wrongs, but not like this.

Reaching down, she slammed her fist on the knob, shutting the water off before grabbing a towel to wrap around her. As she dried off, again, she tried to breathe deeply to calm down.

Ultimately, it didn't matter.

It was done, and there was nothing she could do but try to make the most of the aftermath.

She would continue to let Jack know that she was proud of him, to let Joey know that she loved him and was there for him, even if no one else was.

Those two were the only ones that mattered.

Not her sisters, her father, nor her mother.

They could go to hell for all she cared.

With the towel still around her, she left the bathroom and went into her bedroom, seeing Loki sitting on the bed. She could feel him staring at her as she bit her lip and averted her eyes from him, crossing the room. At her dresser, she closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. She was tired of this, of the second guessing, of the anger and hurt and turmoil constantly rumbling around inside of her.

She just wanted it to go away.

"You're not doing well," she heard Loki say quietly.

She didn't need to turn around to know that he was analyzing her again.

"I'm fine."

Loki continued to watch her as she placed both hands on top of the dresser and hung her head slightly, gathering herself. He got to his feet and approached her, his hands sliding on top of her shoulders.

"You can talk to me, Grace. You forced me to confide in you, now you let me in."

He felt the tension beneath his hands for an instant before she pulled away, narrowing her gaze as she turned to face him.

"When did I force you to confide in me?"

"The morning after the wedding," he said, dropping his hands.

Looking so fucking unaffected by the fact he just said something that upset her.

"I _asked_ you to talk to me, Loki. I didn't force you into anything."

"My mistake," he said, a placating, condescending smirk on his lips.

"Screw you. I don't owe you anything. Not after today."

"You blame me for that?" His eyebrows raised with the question.

"I wouldn't have gone if you didn't push me into it."

"I did not push you into anything at all, Grace. I offered my opinion and advice, and you took it. Take some responsibility for your actions."

Her jaw tightened, fingers pressing into her arms.

"I think I've had enough responsibility. I don't need _you_ to tell me about responsibility. All you do is run away and hide from responsibility."

The mirth evaporated from his demeanor, leaving a cold, angry expression coming over him.

"You do not know what you are talking about."

"Exactly, Loki. You've been here a while now, and still I don't see you trying to figure anything out. You couldn't talk or write! They found you in a junkyard, passed out as if you fell from the sky. Have you done _anything_ to try to make sense of that?"

"I know what happened. I just don't see the need for me to tell you."

Grace pressed the tip of her tongue the back of her teeth as she laughed humorlessly, rolling her eyes.

"That's great. That's exactly what a woman wants to hear from a man she's involved with say."

"How would you know? You have no experience."

She inhaled sharply and dropped her gaze, trying to hide the hurt from his cruel words.

"You're right. I don't. I have absolutely no experience and it terrifies me. I feel like I'm constantly sinking, Loki. My mind is always racing. I'm always wondering if I'm screwing everything up. I have no idea what I'm doing with the boys. Now with my family, I don't know if I did the right thing today. There are times that I hate myself for the decisions that I've made, for things that I've said, and then you come along. When I'm alone with you, my problems seem less worrisome. I feel like I can breathe. You make me happy and calm." She took another breath and glanced at him. "But then you say something like that, with that cold look in your eyes and it fills me with such doubt. How do I know you're not some charming, manipulative liar? How do I know what this means to you?" she asked quietly, tears in her eyes.

After a moment of silence, of her watching him stare at her icily, she wrapped her arms around herself and tried to move past him, only for him to block her way. His hands gripped the edge of the dresser, caging her inside his arms as his cold, green eyes glared at her.

"What a pretty, little show you put on, Grace," he spat.

She narrowed her gaze and quickly wiped the tears from her face.

Still, he continued.

"I know, it's so hard being you. Loved by those kids, by that woman downstairs. They all look to you to lead. What are you to do?" he mocked before returning to anger. "Spare me your 'woe is me' tale. I will _not_ let you make me the villain. Not here, not with you or the boys. My past does not just include a petty family argument. You cannot begin to imagine the pain that I have caused. _That_ is why I do not speak of it to you. You would not be able to handle what I have done, but I assure you I have left it behind. When I am here with you, I'm a different man. And yes, during a disagreement I can be cruel."

Reaching up, he slid his index finger beneath her chin, pushing it up with his gaze falling on her lips.

"I could tear you apart with a single phrase if I wanted to. I could shatter you to more pieces than any drunken frat boy or ignorant father could ever dream, but do you know why I don't?" he asked, meeting her steely gaze while his hand slid from her chin to grasp the hair at the back of her head.

He shook her head 'no' to answer for her.

"It's because I do care for you, Grace. You can blame me for today, you can question my past, doubt my answers about what happened to me, but I will _not_ allow you to think that _this_ means nothing to me. You and those boys are the only things I concern myself with. The streets could run red with blood, the city could burn, innocents could scream, and I would not even notice unless you were in danger."

Grace tried to pull away, tried to look away from the dangerous gleam in his eyes, but he just tightened his hold on her hair.

"No, no," he scolded teasingly, pressing his body against hers to push her back against the dresser. "I am not a merciful man, Grace. I protect what is mine and you…" he whispered, leaning in so his lips brushed against hers, "_you_ are most assuredly **mine**."

Grace shuddered, her eyes closing as the last word washed over her.

She was supposed to be horrified at the picture he painted, furious that he would grip her and force her to listen to him like this, but her body was not trembling because of anger or revulsion.

No, it was pure, unadulterated need.

She had been angry, then hurt, and now she was so emotionally exhausted and here he was, just pushing aside all of her problems as if they were meaningless. It did not matter to him that she questioned her actions, doubted him, worried over her family.

Grace had felt like she was drowning and here he was wrenching her out of the water and forcing the air into her lungs by throwing everything else aside and telling her he cared.

His fingers wrapped almost painfully in her hair, the length of his body pressing her tightly against the edge of her dresser, heated gaze zeroed in on her.

Right now, he was her world, and to him, one thing was important. One simple truth was exalted over the rest.

She was his.

Meeting his stare, she pushed back against him as much as she could and told him the one thing she needed him to do.

"Prove it."

* * *

A/N: FINALLY!

First: Thank you for being so patient with me. I know it was difficult to wait. Thanks for all the continued reviews and alerts. It made me feel guilty for not updating and I was continually chipping away at this chapter. So anyway, thanks!

Second: Someone mentioned that they got a recommendation to read this off of a Tumblr page somewhere. So whoever you are that is recommending my fic to others, thanks so much! I think that's awesome.

Third: Another person questioned who actually wrote this and the answer is me. I'm the one who continuously glares at the word processor page that mocks me with every little blink of the cursor until a chapter is complete.

Fourth: Just for my own curiosity, how do you guys visualize the OCs in this story? I know I don't give a lot of description and leave it up to you all.

And last but not least: This update will soon be followed with a sex scene, just like I did last time. Now, however, I am going to wait a few hours before posting it so people don't get confused with the subsequent updates.

Again, thanks for waiting!


	18. Chapter 16: Lesson Learned

Disclaimer: Not mine.

Warning: Sex scene ahead.

* * *

His hand twisted tightly in her hair, pulling to bend her neck back sharply, drawing a gasp from her lips as her eyes hooded but never left his gaze.

Loki let out a quiet laugh, his teeth glinting in the light as he smirked.

"You think you are ready for this?" he asked, lowering his voice as he spoke to her, seeing her shiver from just the sound of him speaking.

"I just want to feel you," she whispered. She was tired of over thinking everything.

His other hand rose, his fingers gently brushing against her lips, teasing them as he watched her carefully.

Her tongue darted out to flick against the tip of his finger.

"You really do love it when I play with you," he grinned, fully slipping his finger into her mouth, his gaze darkening as her lips closed around the digit. Just as her hips pressed against his, she lightly sucked.

A low growl vibrated in his throat as he ripped his hand from her mouth, his fingers moving to grip the towel wrapped around her body. With a sharp tug, it fell to the floor, leaving her completely bare. His eyes soaked in her image, traveling over ever curve and plane of her body before lifting her up onto the dresser. The hand in her hair tugged her forward to the edge, her knees on either side of his hips as he roughly captured her lips with his own, kissing her so deeply that her toes curled.

Grace slid her hands up his torso, feeling his cool skin against her warm palms until she reached his shoulders. Her fingers pressed into him as her neck bent further back, letting him dominate the kiss, his tongue teasing her with each flick and near caress to hers.

"Don't tease me," she breathed against his lips, which pulled back into a impish grin at her plea.

"And why shouldn't I?"

His eyes were a much darker green when they met her gaze, his pupils dilated from his arousal and excitement from playing with her.

"Loki, I-" she gasped as she felt a single finger slide down from her throat, between her breasts and over her stomach to the apex of her legs, that damnable digit just barely brushing against where she was aching for him.

"Out there," he murmured to her, his deep voice seemingly vibrating into her sensitive skin, "in the world, you make the decisions, the final calls. You can doubt yourself and worry yourself until your little mind explodes, but in here, with me, like this…" Loki breathed deeply as he slid his finger inside of her, feeling her shaky exhale against his neck while she shuddered, her body enveloping around him.

"Here," he continued, "you have one focus, your world narrows down to one thing."

His thumb rubbed against her slick bundle of nerves, another finger joining the first inside of her before he gave a sharp twist of his wrist that caused her breath to hitch and her grip on him to tighten.

Grace's eyes fluttered shut, her tongue peeking out to dampen her lips while her hips rocked against his ministrations, needing the release he was so cruelly teasing her with. When his fingers slid deeper and hooked, she cried out, whispering his name as a plea.

"And do you know what that thing is, my dear?" he questioned, cocking his head to the side before frowning slightly when she didn't answer. "Open your eyes, Grace, and answer me."

"Loki, please," she shuddered, her eyes closed as she pressed her body against his.

She felt his lips against her ear as he spoke deeply to her, saying, "Answer me, Grace or I will put you through the sweetest agony until you break apart beneath my hands."

Her nails bit into his skin as she forced her eyes to open and stare into his gaze, her mouth opening to answer him, only for her to groan loudly as he scissored his fingers inside of her and dragged them out slowly before plunging deep again.

A smirk curled at his lips as he watched her try to fight her own body to answer him, the way she couldn't stop writhing against him, pulling at him helplessly to finish what he started, to end her as she so desperately needed.

"You!" she finally gasped, her eyes wet with tears as she grit her teeth, her muscles tightening as she was brought to the cusp of her climax. "Please, Loki, _please_."

Fiercely, he captured her lips with his, tasting her as he worked his hand faster, deeper, bringing her what she was pleading her, feeling her start to clench around him, and _just_ as she started to tip over the edge, he wrenched his hand from her, causing her to cry out loudly.

Grace could barely control herself as she clawed at him, feeling as if she'd weep if her didn't touch her again.

"And who do you belong to?" Loki asked, reveling in the way she clutched onto him, the way she so frantically needed him.

"_You!_ Oh God, Loki, only you. _Please!_"

Instead of slipping back into her, he effortlessly lifted her from the dresser and carried her to the bed. He finally released her hair, dropping her onto the mattress and pushing her onto her stomach. One hand snatched a pillow and shoved it under her hips while the other shed the last piece of clothing from himself. Grace planted her hands on the bedspread, gripping it tightly as she felt his cool, toned body cover hers, pushing her down onto the bed. He straddled her thighs, his chest brushing against her back as he pushed her hair aside and off the side of her face so he could press a gentle kiss to her temple.

That simple gesture brought tears to her eyes while she writhed wantonly beneath him, whimpering and pleading quietly.

Her movements tempted his length which was almost painfully hard, the teasing and control over her acting as an aphrodisiac to the ex-God. With a quick kiss to her shoulder, he sat up, one hand reaching under her to lift her hips slightly, exposing her just enough to press forward and push slowly into her body. Loki groaned deeply as her slick heat squeezed his thickness, the feeling exquisite as he continued to move forward until his pelvis rested against the curve of her ass. His free hand slid up her spine, feeling her shuddering beneath his palm as her body adjusted to his intrusion, which was made so much more intense from the position.

Slowly, he leaned forward again, curving his back to kiss a slow trail up her spine, stopping at the base of her neck, the length of his body covering hers.

Grace clutched onto the blankets, her eyes closed tightly as she shivered from the powerful sensation of feeling him on her, inside of her, her world truly narrowed to him and what his body was doing to hers. She couldn't believe that she could feel like this, that someone else could make her body react to intensely.

"Oh my God, Loki…" she breathed, pushing back against him slightly, her toes curling, legs shifting, unable to stay still.

The hand underneath her shifted, his fingertips meeting and circling her clit as he began to move inside of her, slowly at first, letting her feel every glorious inch of him as he stroked his entire length in and out of her wet heat. His forehead rested against the curve of her neck, feeling her soft tresses brush against his cheek as she tilted her hips and pushed back into each thrust.

Grace moaned quietly as he rubbed her harder, his pace picking up speed, bringing her back to that glorious edge, sweat gathering and gleaming on her skin at the poignancy of their coupling, tears pricking her eyes as she bit her lip.

Loki's free hand slid around her, his hand brushing against her breast, teasing her for a moment before moving higher, up over her chest to wrap his fingers around her throat. He didn't squeeze, just held it firmly, forcing her back to curve and arch up, her hips tilting as he began to pound into her, his hold on her so tight, pulling her up against him so completely it was as if he was trying to imprint his body on hers.

Grace cried out at the way he handled her, the strong grip on her throat, the way he stroked her, how he uninhibitedly thrust so deeply inside of her, the unexpectedly erotic feeling of his weight pushing down on her. So very deep, she felt her release tightening, her moans and cries drawing themselves out, her breathing quickening and becoming more ragged as she submitted to him completely, but it was when she felt his teeth sink into her shoulder that she lost it. Her mouth opened in a silent cry as every single muscle in her body tightened, pushing against him as she rhythmically gripped his hard, thrusting cock, stars erupting from behind her closed eyes as she felt his hand tightened around her neck, pushing her even higher in her zenith, the waves of pleasure robbing her of every ounce of energy she had. Limp, she collapsed as her body remained sensitized to every movement, the sparks of pleasure still prickling over her skin as Loki continued to use her body, pushing into her until his hips ground against her, staying so deeply embedded into her heat as he pumped his seed into her core, his strong hands still clutching onto her body until he could take no more and practically fell on top of her.

Their bodies continued to mold perfectly together as they caught their breath, their flushed skin sticking for a long moment until Loki wrapped an arm around her waist and rolled them onto their sides.

Grace reached up, taking hold of the hand that had been wrapped around her throat. Gently, she brought it to her and softly pressed a gentle kiss to his palm before tucking it under her chin.

Loki continued to catch his breath, his gaze falling to a bruise forming on her shoulder, his brow furrowing as he realized he had bit her a tad harder than he thought. He lifted his head and tried to see if he left his mark elsewhere.

He had.

Still, she didn't say anything and she hadn't protested.

He knew he could be rough and authoritative, but he didn't want to hurt Grace or scare her away, especially considering this was only their second escapade.

"Did I hurt you?" he whispered quietly, needing to know her answer.

While Loki had thoroughly enjoyed pushing her harder, riding her body, if she didn't like the bruises he left, he couldn't force her to submit to him again.

When she didn't answer, he shifted again, moving to check on her, only to find her fast asleep, looking as peaceful as ever.

Laughing silently, he kissed her cheek and wrapped his arms around her even tighter.

As he closed his eyes and let himself drift off, Loki reconsidered his previous outlook.

Maybe Grace finding out about his darkness wasn't such a bad idea, especially if this was the outcome.

* * *

_A/N: Holy shit, guys. I'm so fucking sorry. I swore I posted this days ago, but I finally opened my laptop and BAM, there it wasn't. Whoops! I hope you guys enjoyed that little scene. I know a few individuals had some issues with the previous smut scene (particularly my word choice) so I tried to amend that. I was also finally able to delineate the rest of the plot for the story, so hopefully you guys won't have to go a month to wait on my slow and sorry ass. Fingers crossed for that. And, as always, thanks for the reviews, alerts, and whatnot. Any comment is a good comment in my opinion. _


	19. Chapter 17: Back to Solid Ground

Disclaimer: Not mine.

* * *

It was the sun shining through the blinds the next morning that woke Loki from his slumber, a pleasant, satisfied sigh escaping his lips as he stretched languidly, his hand sliding next to him to curve his fingers over Grace's hip, but all he felt was the coolness of the sheets beside him.

Brow furrowing, he sat up, looking at the bed and then around the room.

Only to find both empty.

Apparently she had met the day a bit earlier than him.

A flash of concern seared through him as he considered that he was a bit too overwhelming for her, but he pushed that thought aside for now. At no point had she protested.

He slipped out of bed and dressed quickly, leaving the bedroom and shutting the door behind him.

"Good morning."

Loki turned and saw Jack eating his cereal alone at the kitchen table, a book laid out in front of him.

Deserting the idea to find Grace, he focused on Jack.

"How are you feeling?" Loki asked as he made his way over to the boy before sitting down at the table as well.

Jack shrugged.

"Yesterday was bad, but it's over. Mom's in there with Joey right now."

Loki nodded, resting his elbows on the tabletop, his chin settling over his intertwined fingers.

"Do you think this means they won't fight so much?" Jack questioned.

"I do not know. While Joey may now hold your mother in a higher opinion, the two of them seem destined to bicker, regardless of what transpired yesterday."

"Is it normal? For parents to just not want their kids? Like with my dad?"

Loki's gaze softened as he watched the boy, knowing he had no idea what his parentage truly entailed.

"Again, I do not know. One thing is certain. You will never have to worry about that with your mother."

Jack nodded slowly, his forlorn stare dropping back down to the book.

As Loki continued to watch the boy, he wasn't sure what he could say to try to lift his spirits. The boy had been the most detached from the events of the previous day. Nothing to his world changed dramatically from the visit. While Grace faced her past and Joey lost his parents, Jack already expected the cold welcome he had received. As Grace and Joey still reeled from the backlash, Jack merely returned to what he was always doing.

"You are sad for them, are you not?"

Jack glanced back up at Loki.

"I know that is it bad for them, but a part of me is happy. I didn't want anything to change. I don't want to know those people, and I want Joey to stay with us. They got their feelings hurt yesterday, but I'm glad that we're back like we were before." He paused slightly. "Is that bad to think that?"

"No. You are merely being honest. You are wise not to lie to yourself, but it would behoove you to keep that sentiment to yourself until the dust from yesterday has settled."

"I know," the boy muttered, glancing down the hallway, wondering what was going on in his bedroom.

* * *

Grace was kneeling on the floor, staring at her little nephew sitting before her. His brown eyes carrying so much sadness for a child so young. His shoulders were slumped forward, cheeks and nose pink from crying.

It was a truly heartbreaking image he presented.

"Joey," she said calmly and quietly, "do you want to talk about what happened?"

As another warm tear trickled over his rounded cheek to fall onto his dinosaur pajamas Grace had to quell the urge to rush out of the apartment and beat her sister senseless.

How could she do this to him?

He adored his parents and still they did this to him.

"Mommy and Daddy don't want me anymore," he sniffled, his soft voice quivering.

Grace took hold of his hands, squeezing reassuringly.

She didn't know what to say, whether to try to lie to him and say they were just busy right now or to confirm his beliefs. There was no easy way out of this and Grace was once again reminded of the fact that she, much like most parents, had no idea what she was doing.

She could only hope she didn't screw up these boys in the process of fumbling around for answers.

Taking a deep breath, she shuffled closer, resting her elbows on the edge of the bed.

"Joey, I want you to listen to me. What your parents did to you was very unfair, but I need you to understand that it was not your fault. You're a very sweet little boy, even if you are a bit stubborn sometimes. I know your feelings are hurt right now and you're very sad," she said, reaching up to gently wipe the tears from his face. "I just need you to know that I will always be here for you. No matter what. I love you so much, stinkerbutt. Nothing will ever change that."

Joey's breath hitched as his face scrunched up again, tears flowing more steadily down his cheeks as he slipped off the bed and into her lap, his arms encircling her neck.

Grace hugged him tightly, moving to sit on the bed and rock him gently. She kissed his temple before resting her chin on the top of his head.

"It's okay, Joey. I got you," she cooed.

She didn't stop rocking him until his cries quieted into sniffles.

"You won't leave me like Mommy?" he questioned.

"Never."

The boy stared up at her for a long time before he nodded and buried his face back into her shoulder.

She let him have a few more minutes, his cries soon silencing altogether.

"You ready for some breakfast?" she asked, rubbing his back.

She could feel him nod again so she helped him off her lap and took hold of his hand, leading him out of the room and down the hall to the kitchen.

* * *

Jack watched as his mother sat his cousin down at the table and started making him a bowl of cereal. Joey had obviously been crying again and Jack felt bad for him.

When the little boy's eyes met his, Jack smiled softly at him.

"I'm going to go work on my project. Want to help me?"

Joey stared at him for another moment then nodded solemnly before picking up a spoon and eating the brightly colored sugar puffs before him.

Jack looked up at his mother who watched over Joey. He knew that she will be paying more attention to him for a while. It wasn't fair, but he tried to tell himself that he could handle it. It was sad that Joey didn't have any parents now, so Jack could share. He always had been good at sharing. He just hoped that his mom wouldn't miss the things he thought were important.

His gaze flickered over to Loki who was idly tracing the edge of the placemat in front of him. Jack liked Loki. Besides his mom and Betty, Jack didn't particularly care for any other adult. His teachers had a tendency to see right through him, even if he was the top in the class, but there was something about Loki that he liked. When he offered advice, he wasn't doing it as an adult who spoke with an 'I know better than you' tone of voice. When Loki helped him, it was as if he had been through the same thing once before, like Loki had already been there and experienced what Jack was going through. Loki spoke to him knowing that Jack could understand him when he tried to help.

Maybe he could help Joey like that, too, but a part of him, buried deep inside of him, was selfish. If Jack had to share his mother, couldn't he have Loki as a friend all to himself?

"Now?" Joey asked him.

Jack sat up straighter, pulled from his thoughts.

"Sure. Go get dressed and we can head up there."

Joey looked like he might protest for a second before he just sighed and hung his head, slipping off of the chair and going to the bedroom.

When his mom went to grab the bowls, Jack quickly took them instead.

"I can do it."

Grace smiled at him softly.

"Look at you, helping out," she said, obviously proud of him.

Jack smiled, even if his insistence to help stemmed from guilt over his momentary selfish thoughts.

"We're a family, right? That's what we do?"

His mother nodded and bent down, holding the sides of his head and kissing his forehead.

"You're a very good boy, you know that?"

Jack smiled brightly, turning to finish with the dishes once Grace released him.

Both adults were strangely quiet as he worked, remaining so even as he grabbed his book and went to retrieve Joey.

As he had the boy's hand in his, he glanced back into the kitchen, seeing his mother standing behind the chair that was across from the still aloof Loki.

Did they have a fight?

Is that why they weren't speaking?

Brow furrowed, he led Joey out of the apartment and up the stairs.

Even if they did, what could he do to help?

He was just a kid.

* * *

As soon as the boys disappeared, Grace's shoulders visibly slumped.

What a morning.

She looked over at Loki and started at the intense stare she was met with.

"Sorry about ditching you this morning," she said, scratching the back of her neck awkwardly. "I heard the boys up and wanted to talk to Joey."

He nodded, pushing the chair back before getting to his feet.

"So your absence is not due to last night?"

"No," she answered hurriedly. "Of course not. Last night was… intense."

Loki slowly approached her, his gaze raking over her body.

"Is that good or bad?"

Grace stared up at him for a moment, taking in the look in his eyes.

There was something about them recently that seemed strange.

"Different. You weren't exactly gentle, but I think it was fairly obvious that I enjoyed it."

A smirk twisted his lips, white teeth glinting.

"Only 'fairly' obvious? I must be slipping."

When he gently pushed her back against the counter, his hands cupped her face, tilting it back so he could meet her gaze directly.

"Blatantly obvious, then," she replied with a gasp.

"I did not intend to hurt you or startle you with that intensity. You know this," he stated, informing her of fact instead of asking for reassurance.

Sighing softly, Grace raised her hands, setting them onto his wrists, her thumbs tenderly caressing his pulse points.

He was an entrancing man. She knew that from the beginning. Grace would have to be a fool to think that being involved with him would have been all smiles and tenderness.

Still, it wasn't as if she was a ball of sunshine, too..

"I know, Loki, and I'm sorry for the things I said last night. I was tense, frustrated, and a whole slew of other emotions and I tried to take it out on you."

"I am aware that there are moments in which you are vulnerable, that you need support and understanding. At those times, you know I will be what you require. That being said, when you are turning into a emotional anchor and try to drag me down with you, I will resist."

Grace smiled a little, looking up at him through her lashes.

"Well if that is your way of resisting I don't really have any issues with it."

Loki's eyes flashed with amusement before tipping his head forward and resting his forehead to hers.

"I shall keep that in mind."

After relaxing against him for a long moment, she pulled away and stared up at him.

"So we're okay?"

"Of course."

"Good," she said, leaning into him again, "I like it when we're on the same team."

"Myself as well," he said as he rested his chin on top of her head, his fingers threading through her unkempt locks.

Loki would do anything to make sure they would be on the same team, even if he had to get his hands a little dirty to do so.

But that's where the fun usually came in, too.

* * *

Jack tinkered with a few gears, his gaze flickering over to his cousin who was playing with a few toys he kept on the roof.

"You sad?" Jack asked.

Joey nodded, keeping his eyes down.

"You don't need your parents, Joey. They haven't been around for a long time."

Joey frowned and picked his head up to glare at the older boy.

"They're my mom and dad," he said with a hard tone.

"Since when," Jack scoffed.

If he was going to have to share with Joey, the boy should appreciate it more. For so long Jack had to hold back about Joey's parents. The truth had to come out eventually.

"Always! They love me!"

"No they don't Joey! They left you here! They never call! My mom is the one that looks after you and all you've ever done is fight with her! You should be nice from now on," he shouted.

Tears flooded the boy's eyes and he quickly pounced on top of Jack, his little fists hitting him. Jack shouted Joey's name and pushed at him, shoving him off of him and getting to his feet.

"Don't be mad at me because I'm finally telling you the truth!" he shouted.

"I'm going to beat you up!"

"Joey, stop it!" he yelled, grabbing onto the younger one's swinging arms. "Stop fighting me!"

"Then don't be mean!" he cried. "They loved me. They did!"

The fight suddenly left the boy and he yanked his arms from his older cousin and plopped down on the ground, sniffling.

Jack sighed and sat next to him.

"I know they did, but things are different now. You're going to be with us for a long time. I need you to stop fighting with my mom all the time. You can't be so stubborn when she tells you what to do."

Joey continued to cry quietly, wiping at his eyes, looking so forlorn that Jack scooted closer and wrapped an arm around the boy's slim shoulders.

"She's a good mom, Joey. She's the best mom. You just need to give her a chance. Okay?"

Jack felt Joey nod and sighed again, holding onto his little cousin. Even though he was a pain, that he never listened and could be selfish, Jack loved cousin and would always look after him.

"And you'll always have me, Joey. No matter what."

When Joey answered with a shuddering breath, Jack tightened his hold on the boy, letting him know that he was right where he needed him to be.

His mom had enough to worry about. He could help take care of Joey. He'd look after him.

Him and Joey were partners in crime, and that would never change.

* * *

Slowly but surely, the makeshift family fell back into their regular routine. The boys went back to school, even if they were more sullen than usual.

Jack continued to work furiously on his school project, growing more and more anxious with each day, needing everything to be perfect.

Joey gradually returned to his usual personality, although his normal zeal was dampened. He played more quietly, listened better, and didn't interrupt everyone with his random insertions into conversations. While normally this would please Grace, she worried, even if Jack tried to reassure her that Joey okay. All she could do was try to be there for the boy and try not to smother him.

She, however, attempted to talk to her mother on the phone, but the conversation only lasted a few minutes. Her patience with the woman growing short. She had ended the call with a promise to try it again later, but she had yet to reach out again. She was busy with work and the boys. How was she supposed to deal with a desperate, needy mother, too?

Loki gladly went back to filling in the blanks. Spending the day bickering with Betty and watching Spanish soap operas, the afternoons with the boys, and the evenings with Grace. He listened to their worries, offered his opinions and advice as necessary. It would take some time, but he was sure they would soon return to their previous groove.

Time continued to pass and the tension soon left the small apartment, smiles slowly became more frequent, laughter could be heard inside the home. To them, the worst was over.

Little did they know, however, that this was merely the eye of the storm, and sooner than they would think the foundation of their family would crumble beneath their feet.

Sooner than they could imagine it would all collapse and then they would truly all fall down.

* * *

_A/N: Thanks for the reviews and alerts. This was one really short and rushed, but I just needed to wrap up the whole family thing in order to move onto the next major plot point, which will be the next chapter. I should have it out in a week or so. Maybe. I'm going to be a bit busy, but I will try to update soon. _


	20. Chapter 18: Abandonment Issues

Disclaimer: Not mine.

Warning: Sex Scene.

* * *

_**Loki!**_

His body sprang to life, shooting up in the bed as the sound of Grace's voice reverberated in his mind. His heart was racing heavily in his chest as shaking hands quickly felt beside him, trying to force his eyes to focus in the dark bedroom. Cool sheets met his fingertips; his gaze settling on the empty space next to him.

She was gone.

Loki's panic increased tenfold.

Shoving the sheets away from his legs, he hurried to the door, wrenching it open and stepping into the hall. The rest of the apartment was as dark as ever. The sound of her screaming for him replayed in his mind as he checked the bathroom, only to find it empty. He moved on down the hall to the living room, then into the kitchen where he saw the lone silhouette standing next to the sink. Relief nearly took him to his knees as he stepped forward, his panic quickly morphing into anger.

"What are you doing?" he whispered harshly, startling Grace.

She gasped, whirling around and letting her glass of water slip from her grasp.

Quickly, his hand shot out, catching the tumbling glass, but not before some of the water splattered onto her bare feet.

Loki stepped towards her, slamming the glass onto the counter top beside her, leaving his hand on the edge so that his body caged hers in the minimal space between.

"I asked you a question," he growled.

Her wide eyes flickered from her wet feet to his irate expression, her lips parted in surprise and confusion.

"I-… Huh?"

"_What. Are. You. Doing_?"

At his angry tone, the shock left her system, her eyebrows raising as her own annoyance increased.

"What am I doing? What the hell do you think _you're _doing? You can't just slink around in the dark. Announce your damn presence. You almost gave me a freakin' heart attack."

"And _what _exactly did you think you were doing to me? I woke up and you weren't there. What was I supposed to think?" he spat.

"Oh, I don't know. That I got up to get a drink. Loki, I-" she paused, finally looking closely into his eyes and seeing the residual panic that laid within the emerald depths. "What's wrong? What happened?"

Her instant switch to concern snapped him from his ire, and he physically reared back a little as he realized that he had been blowing the whole thing out of proportion.

Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes, letting his rigid posture relax and his head to slightly drop forward.

"I apologize," he muttered, shaking his head. "I'm afraid I overreacted."

He felt her gentle touch against his jaw as she reached up to cup the side of his face, directing him to meet her gaze.

"Can you please talk to me? You can trust me, you know."

"It's not a matter of trust," he replied, straightening up to his full height and looking down at her, his hand encircling her wrist to gently rub the smooth skin over her pulse.

"Then what is it?"

Her doleful eyes stared up at him and he couldn't help but answer her.

"I used to be different," he confessed, watching her closely, but hesitantly, as if analyzing her reaction. "I used to be cruel and cold, so angry and vengeful. All I could think about was hurting people. Their crimes, or lack thereof, did not matter to me. No one was innocent. No one was spared. No one _would _have been spared."

Grace continued to listen in confused concern, not understanding the context of what he was saying, but she didn't interrupt him.

More importantly to him, she didn't shy away from him.

"But now... When I look back on my actions, on my intents... I cringe. I've changed so much. I've grown, and I owe all of that to you and the boys. You have absolutely no idea of the effect you've had on me, and I'll be honest... I don't want you to. I feel physically ill when I let myself ponder on the subject."

"Why?" she whispered, leaning towards him slightly.

"Because you'll leave me," he answered bluntly, "and I couldn't bear that. I may have changed, but I'm still an avaricious man. I am extremely possessive, and, now, you are the only thing that is mine. I'll do whatever I need to do to keep it that way."

She bit her lip, considering his words carefully. Grace didn't want to assume anything from his words.

"Is that why you reacted like you did? Just because I wasn't in the same room."

"No. I do not wish to _control _you. I'm well aware of your independence and your own responsibilities. It's one of the main aspects of your nature that draws me to you."

"Then why did you yell at me for getting a drink of water?" she asked, thoroughly puzzled.

He laughed humorlessly, practically rolling his eyes as he raised his free hand to rub his forehead.

"I truly do apologize. It's quite childish now that reason has returned to me."

"Well humor me anyway."

Again, he couldn't deny her.

"I had a dream. The last thing I remember before my awakening was hearing your voice scream for me... Then, when I opened my eyes, you weren't beside me hence by rather dramatic reaction."

He watched as her gaze softened, a sad smile coming to her face. She couldn't blame him for his response. She herself was guilty of the same thing, having dreamed of tragedy befalling her son and rushing into his room just to reassure herself that he was all right.

"Come on," she said, taking his hand and tugging him back towards the bedroom. "Time for bed."

Loki allowed her to lead him, shutting the door behind him before sitting on the mattress.

"I do not know if I'll be able to fall back asleep."

He felt her hands upon his shoulders and quickly looked up from where he had been gazing at the floor. She had shed her pants and panties, leaving her in an oversized t-shirt. Leaning back to give her room, his hands went to her waist as she straddled his thighs, placing herself on his lap.

"What are you doing?" he asked, groaning quietly. She shifted forward and pressed down with her hips.

"Reassuring you that I'm right here," she replied, "and tiring you out as well. Two birds. One stone," she teased, kissing his jaw sweetly and earning a small smirk for her efforts.

"You're such an overachiever."

His hands slid up under her shirt to caress the soft skin of her back.

"I do what I can."

Although she said that in jest, Loki knew the truth behind those words, that she'd do anything to help those she cared for and loved. A pain wrenched in his chest as he realized just how lucky of a bastard he really was.

In one smooth motion he lifted her shirt up over her head, letting it fall to the side before cupping the back of her head and pulling her into a desperate kiss. His free arm wrapped tightly around her, pulling her against him as her own fingers snaked under his shirt. She parted from him just long enough to rid him of his shirt. Once the material was discarded they crashed back together, a desperation in their actions. She moaned as his tongue dipped into her mouth; a groan vibrated in his throat as her breasts pressed against his chest. He wound his fingers into her hair, his brow furrowed in concentration as he focused everything on the way she felt and tasted, as if in any moment she'd disappear before his eyes.

Once again, she broke free, trying to catch her breath as she lifted her hips and one hand tugged at the waistband of his pants.

"Please, Loki," she panted. "I need to feel you."

Breathing sharply at her words that mirrored his own thoughts, he helped her shove his pants down his thighs. He still sat on the edge of the bed as he tightened his arm around her, helping to steady her as she took hold of where he ached for her the most.

One of her hands gripped his shoulder, her nails biting deeply into his flesh as she slowly lowered herself, her lips parting in pure pleasure as he slid into her body, completing her. A whimper escaped her while she leaned forward to rest her forehead to his. Their breath mingled, heating their already flushed skin. His hand ran up the length of her back as she shifted again, sliding down the rest of his thick length until she sat in his lap, him buried to the hilt within her.

Loki opened his eyes, watching as she bit her bottom lip, teasing it with her teeth. Her hands slid over his shoulders, her arms wrapping around his neck and drawing her closer to him.

"I'm right here," she whispered against his lips, "Always with you."

Words choked in his throat, so he leaned forward, catching her in another kiss, his teeth nipping her lip before letting his tongue dominate hers. Her hips began to rock back and forth, grinding down on his pelvis. Gradually, she sped her pace, riding him harder as sweat began to glisten on their skin, her whimpers and moans filling the air as he groaned into her mouth, allowing her to swallow his sounds.

"Loki, please," she sobbed, her body tightening and spiraling but unable to fully explode.

With a quick twist, she found herself on her back, him still between her thighs, hovering over her as he pounded into her. Her mouth opened in a silent cry as he filled her over and over again, his hips snapping to hers with a speed that she could barely believe. Her back arched sharply as the ecstasy erupted throughout her body, her muscles clenching around his invading thickness, milking his release from his own body. Feeling him groan against the pulse in her neck, filling her with his seed, her legs tightened around his waist, her arms constricting to pull even more of his weight onto her.

Tears leaked from her eyes. It almost scared her how much she wanted him sometimes, how much she craved to have his skin on hers, to feel him within her, surrounding her.

But she couldn't let him know. He needed her to be strong, especially when his desperation matched her own.

Loki pressed his forehead to her sternum, his eyes closed as he tried to catch his breath as well as reign in the emotion flowing through him. He could feel her fingers gently combing through his hair as she panted. Her heartbeat echoed in his ear once he turned to nuzzle into her palm. Her soft, full breast pillowed his head as he slid one hand down the curve of her waist to the flare of her hip, her skin damp from their exertions.

He pressed one more kiss to her breast before raising up on his elbow to gaze down at her. His fingers lightly dragged upwards from her hip to her abdomen, trailing even higher up before tracing her collar bone.

Goosebumps rose on her flesh as he continued to tease her skin with light caresses, her eyes focused on him the entire time he mapped her relaxed and sated body.

"Are you cold?" he whispered, brushing a thumb over her nipple as it tightened even more.

"Something like that."

His gaze darted up to meet hers as he smirked.

"I could do this all day," he confessed, sliding his hand around her body to pull her up and against him as he rolled onto his back, situating her completely on top of him.

She smiled at him, mirroring his previous actions by kissing his chest before tucking her head under his chin and closing her eyes, her body curving to his as he rubbed her back.

Loki felt her fall asleep, her warmth pressing against him, her breath puffing gently against his skin.

Closing his eyes, he kissed her temple before letting sleep reclaim him.

Two birds. One stone. She really was an overachiever.

* * *

A/N: This was supposed to be part of a big chapter, but it didn't flow right so I'm letting it stand alone. I have most of the next chapter written. I have one more scene to write then the final edit before posting. It will be up tomorrow.


	21. Chapter 19: Bumps and Bruises

Disclaimer: Not mine

Warning: Violence and Swearing

* * *

"You're going to make it, right?"

Grace sighed and turned to her son, placing her hands on his shoulders.

"I promise, Jack. I will make it to your science fair tonight. Now please, go get ready for school."

Jack nodded, still hesitant. She missed it last year. Money had been especially tight and she was offered a double shift. A whole eight hours of time and a half. It had been a difficult decision to make, but it was necessary, even if her son hadn't forgiven her.

She watched as he shuffled back into his room to finish getting ready, herding Joey to do the same. Sipping her coffee, she winced at its strength.

"What are you planning on doing with this," she asked the nearby Loki, motioning to her cup, "strip the paint off the walls?"

Loki never looked up from the newspaper, just merely smirked and flipped the page. After the events of the previous night, they both were in a rather good mood, despite being somewhat sleep deprived.

She forced down the rest of the toxic coffee before washing out the mug.

"So I'm getting out of work early today. I should be home in time to take the boys back to school. Will you be ready to go then?"

"I believe I can fit that into my schedule," he replied blithely.

"How magnanimous of you."

"I'm nothing if not a humanitarian."

"I'm sure," she said, rolling her eyes as she walked past him.

His hand shot out and took hold of hers, pulling her closer to him.

Grace watched as he opened his mouth, words obviously on the tip of his tongue before he shook his head.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing. It's not important," he assured her, lifting her captured hand and pressing a kiss to it before releasing her.

"You sure?"

"Yes. You better hurry. The boys are going to be late."

Her head whipped around to look over at the clock. She muttered a curse to herself as she hurried off to the bathroom, tying her hair up into a knot on the way.

Soon, they were ready to leave and after bidding adieu to Loki, they headed out to begin their long day.

Loki, however, continued to stare unseeingly as the door shut behind the small family.

What could have possibly possessed him to almost mutter those words?

His mind must be deteriorating from those damnable Spanish soap operas.

She knew he cared about her. He told her, he'd shown her in a variety of ways. Why did he need to push it?

For the first time in his life, he felt like he finally had a place to call his own, people in his life who were sincere in their regard for him.

Saying that he was in love with her would not alter that dynamic. Their lives would not change at all. The only consequence of importance would be if there was a falling out. If he contained the truth about the depth of his feelings, then he would always have that part to himself. If it were out in the open, if she knew he loved her and still walked away from him... it would break him.

And then, he'd hardly be responsible for his actions.

* * *

"I think I'm going to be sick," Jack muttered, tossing his sandwich onto the table.

Joey stared at it for a long moment before snatching it and taking a big bite.

He had already consumed his own lunch.

"Why?" the younger boy asked, his question muffled by peanut butter and jelly.

"What if I don't win tonight? What if it doesn't work? This is a disaster."

Joey rolled his eyes, stuffing another bite into his mouth.

Jack had been in a near panic all day, his mind agonizing over all the horrible, embarrassing things that could happen at the Invention Convention. Just the thought of his project not working brought tears of humiliation to his eyes. It would be a travesty.

"It'll work," Joey said.

"How do you know?"

"Because you made it," he said it as if Jack was an idiot for not thinking the same thing.

Jack's tension softened as he stared at his cousin, a small smile coming to his lips.

"You really think so?"

"Uh-huh. So, can I have your pudding?"

Jack grinned and slid the cup over to him. After that, Joey could have all the pudding he wanted.

* * *

"You have that look about you?" Katie said, glancing over at her friend.

"And what look is that?"

"That beaming, proud parent look. Jack's science fair is tonight, isn't it?"

Grace grinned, nodding her head.

"It is. He's been talking about it for weeks."

"What did he do for it?"

"I don't know. It's a surprise."

"Well I'm sure the boy genius has whipped something spectacular up."

"I'm sure he did. I just wish he had a little more confidence in himself. He looked like he was about to vomit this morning."

Katie made a sympathetic noise.

"How's your mystery man with the boys?"

"Great. He's amazing with them. They both love him to pieces and I think Jack really connects with him."

Her friend silently watched her, obviously debating with herself.

"I know I was Advocate #1 when it came to you finding someone, but do you think it's wise to let some guy you barely know have so much access to your kids?"

Immediately, Grace went on the defensive.

"He's not just some guy, Katie."

"Yeah, Grace. He really is. I know you care about him and the boys adore him, but just be practical for a moment. What do you really know about him? What's his last name? Where is he from? What does he do? I don't know how he consistently gets out of revealing anything about himself, but don't you find that a little strange? What's he hiding?"

"You don't understand. I don't need to know his stats. Those things don't matter. He's made mistakes, but he's trying to be better. He would never do anything to hurt me or the boys. I trust him, Katie. That's all there is to it."

"But he's still a little strange. Aren't you curious?"

"Despite his quirks, he's never given me a real reason to doubt him. He doesn't appreciate it if I try to force him to talk, and I don't blame him. Nothing from his past is relevant now. So there's no point talking about it."

"Well that sounds healthy," Katie snarked as she readied the room for the next patient.

Grace rolled her eyes as she walked towards the hallway where shouting could be heard.

"What the hell is going on out there?"

"The usual chaos that ensues with our insane patients...?"

Grace laughed and opened the door, stepping into the hallway.

There was nothing to prepare her for the strong hands that grabbed her and threw her against the wall, her head smacking against the nauseating floral wallpaper. One hand held her upright as a meaty fist connected with her face.

"Where the fuck is she?!" a furious voice reverberated in her ears as the same fist smashed against her multiple times, the ring on his finger slicing into her skin, each hit slamming into her harder and harder.

Grace tried to protect herself, her hands impotently trying to cover her face. She could vaguely hear other men shouting, a woman's scream.

Her assailant's hands suddenly wrapped around her throat, tightening and closing off her airway. Her nails dug into his flesh as his rancid breath blew into her face.

"You listen to me, you filthy cunt. You tell me where that bitch is or I'll choke the life out of you right here."

Forcing her eyes to open, she watched as three men tried to pull her attacker off of her, but the man was too strong, furious, and hopped up on drugs. She began to see spots as she reached into the pocket of her scrubs, finding a pen and quickly using the last of her diminishing strength to stab him, not caring where she hit, just trying to hit him.

She felt the pen embed into his cheek, heard his roar of anger as two security guards joined the group who finally succeeded in wrenching the man from her.

But the air was too late in rushing to her lungs.

Everything went black as she collapsed onto the ground.

* * *

The phone rang as Loki lifted a pile of books, moving around the corner to disappear amongst the stacks. As he gazed up at the towering shelves, he heard Betty answer the phone.

When he heard her gasp sharply, then quickly ask 'Is she all right?!', he dumped the books and rushed back to the desk, his brow furrowed in concern as he saw the older woman's eyes fill with tears, her hand over her mouth.

"Of course. One of us will be there soon."

Betty hung up the phone, taking a ragged breath before calling a cab. Once she was done, and Loki was on the verge of snapping at her, she looked over at him.

"What is it? What happened?" he asked, completely unnerved by this normally carefree woman who now looked so forlorn.

"Grace had some sort of accident at work. She got hurt pretty badly."

Swallowing hard, Loki forced himself to ignore the sharp tightness in his chest, the way his knees weakened.

"But she'll be fine, yes?"

"Katie said she would be, but she thinks someone should come to the hospital to get her."

"Who?"

Betty took another deep breath.

"I think you should go. She most likely needs that peace that you give her."

"What kind of accident was it?"

"She didn't say."

"If it was that bad, she probably shouldn't be going to Jack's science fair."

"She promised Jack. As long as she could drag herself there, she is going to that damn thing."

"If she's seriously injured, I'm not going to let her worsen her state by attending an elementary school function."

"Yeah, well I'll just let you fight that good fight." Betty looked over his shoulder. "The cab is here."

Gritting his teeth and feeling quite frustrated with the stubborn women currently in his life, he left the bookstore, getting into the cab and telling the driver to head to the hospital.

He stared out the window, his concern starting to outweigh his annoyance.

How bad was she injured?

How did it happen?

Why did it happen?

He had been so consumed with the idea that she would walk away from him. He can't take the possibility that she was taken by him, by death especially.

Shaking his head, he calmed himself.

Regardless of the circumstances around the incident, she would not need him panicking like he had done the night before.

He was the God of Lies for goodness sake. If he couldn't at least pretend to be relaxed and comforting despite the maelstrom inside then who the hell could?

"Don't move. I'm picking someone up."

The driver nodded as Loki exited the vehicle and walked into the hospital.

After some confusion and frustrating navigation, he found the radiology department.

The woman he recognized as Katie was waiting near the main desk. As soon as she noticed him, she waved for him to follow her.

"I thought Betty was going to come get her."

"It was decided that I was the more prudent choice."

Katie stalled turning to face him. Loki clenched his jaw, his eyes darkening into a glare at the woman who was keeping him from checking on Grace.

"She isn't going to want to tell you what happened."

His brow furrowed. "And why is that?"

"Because it wasn't an accident. She was attacked."

His entire body tensed, a cold feeling, unrelated to his ancestry, slithered through his veins and up his spine.

"By who?"

"Some PCP driven maniac. I guess this guy was beating on his girlfriend. The cops picked her up and brought her here. She was getting some images done down the hall. This guy found out and was looking for her. Grace was in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"Where were the guards?"

"Here. It took six of them to pull him off of her. They threw him to the ground; he cracked his head pretty hard. He's still unconscious. The police have him chained to his bed up on the fifth floor. I think Grace should press charges, but I don't know if she will feel like going through all of that."

Loki's gaze flickered towards the elevator, imagining just how easily it would be to go up there and take the decision completely out of her hands. It wouldn't take but a moment, regardless of how much he'd enjoy taking his time.

Katie watched the malice in those dark eyes, her body shivering slightly as she remembered that this man was an enigma. He looked even more deadly than Grace's assailant. He had been dangerous. Loki was positively lethal.

"What is his name?"

Katie blinked. Loki's entire demeanor changed. He now looked at her with mere polite curiosity.

"Uh... it was... " she shifted some of her papers around before finding her answer. "Ronald Isler."

"I see. So may I see Grace now, or is there more that you wish to tell me before I see what this Mr. Isler has done to her."

Loki could barely enjoy the look of sheer confusion on the woman's face as she struggled to deal with his change in attitude. All thoughts of feeling that man's neck crack, of hearing that perfect snap, were still very much in his mind. He knew it would only intensify when he saw her, but he needed to keep a lid on it. It wouldn't do to draw more attention to himself.

"She's in there," Katie said, pointing to the last door in the hallway.

"Thank you."

Loki left her, walking towards said door. His hand hesitated as he grasped the knob. After a moment to gather his thoughts, he entered the room.

He found her sitting in the empty break room. Her glassy eyes were focused on the glass of water in her hands. As he approached the table where she sat, he finally saw the extent of her injuries.

A bright white bandage covered her temple and part of her forehead, while a deep scratch stretched across her bruised and swollen cheekbone. She had two black eyes and a badly split lip. Another contusion darkened the curve of her jaw. He could see the marks on her arm where her attacker had grabbed her.

"Grace?" he whispered quietly, lowering himself into the seat across from her.

Her gaze darted from the glass to meet his, immediately filling with tears when she saw who had joined her.

Loki swore he could actually feel his heart wrench. He sat forward and covered her hands with his. Now that she lifted her head, he could also see the bruises around her throat. For less than an instant, his grasp on her tightened as fury shot through him, but before it had a chance to take root, he dispelled it.

She needed to be comforted now, not avenged.

"Rough day?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow as he smiled sadly at her.

She sobbed out a laugh, her fingers tightening around his.

"Just a bit."

"Well you can tell me all that you want to when we get home. The cab is outside."

Blinking away the tears, she nodded and followed his lead when he got to his feet. He kept hold of her hand, feeling her behind him as he led her out of the room and down the hall. She kept her head down to ignore the stares of her coworkers, most of whom she didn't even get along with anyway.

Once outside, Loki opened the car door for her, letting her slip inside first before doing the same.

"Back to the bookstore?" the driver asked, glancing curiously at Grace, but looking away and not questioning anything, for which both of his passengers were thankful for.

"Yes, thank you," Loki replied. After a few minutes of driving, he turned towards Grace, leaning his head down so only she could hear him. "Are you in much pain?"

Her dark eyes flickered upwards to meet his.

"I took some painkillers already, but I'll put some ice on the worst of it when we get home."

Loki watched as she lowered her gaze back to their hands. He shifted towards her slightly and pressed a soft kiss to her uninjured temple. He let his lips linger against her warm skin for just a moment as he felt her take a shuddering breath, a quiet sob escaping her lips.

He quickly tried to suppress the cold and absolute fury that filled him with each beat of his heart. The hatred he had once felt for mortals resurfaced in his mind.

How much pain must she go through? How many times must she be the victim? She was innocent. She never hurt anyone, but still she suffers.

Loki was powerless against her past misfortunes, but he didn't need to remain that way. He knew the name of her aggressor, he knew where the man was being held.

He could eradicate this problem for her.

He _should_.

And she'll never even have to know.

She must never know.

* * *

"Hand me the cover?"

Joey handed Jack the piece of metal which the older boy then used to seal the back of his contraption. The final piece in place, he took a deep breath and walked around to the front of his display. He then covered his creation with a sheet, keeping it from view.

It was a surprise after all.

"You're going to win," Joey said, grinning.

"You think so?"

"Uh-huh. Look at all the other ones. They suck."

Jack did glance around, seeing various rube goldbergs and other low tech inventions. Nothing even came close to his own robotic design.

"Maybe I will win."

Joey slipped his backpack on while Jack did the same.

"We're going to meet Tony Stark! It's going to be so cool!"

Jack laughed at his cousin while he took his hand and led him towards the exit. The convention wouldn't start for a few hours and it was time to go home.

"Don't jinx it, Joey."

The younger boy dramatically rolled his eyes as they walked out of the school and down the block to the bus stop.

"We should show Tony Stark our alien."

"That's a horrible idea."

"Why?"

"Don't you remember what happened? Aliens tried to take over the world. Tony Stark probably isn't a big fan of them."

"But I thought that one guy was an alien, too?"

"Which one?"

"The one with the hammer?"

Jack thought back, trying to remember the details. He really only had paid attention to Tony Stark, seeing as the genius was his idol based more on his intellect and engineering capabilities instead of his superhero ones. There were others too. The Avengers they had called themselves. There was a huge green monster, someone who was dressed up like the American flag, a woman, a guy with a bow and arrow, and then there was the big guy with a hammer.

What was his name?…

"I can't remember his name. It was something like that character from Star Wars."

"Luke?"

"No."

"Han? Chewbacca? Darth Vader? Jabba? Boba Fett?"

Jack rolled his eyes.

"How is it that you can't remember a single definition for your vocabulary test, but you practically have that movie memorized?"

"Movie_s_."

"Whatever, and no, you didn't name it. It's the one that does the-" Jack raised his hands over his head and made a strange noise in his throat, attracting strange looks from the other people out and about.

"Hoar?"

"That's it!" Jack said as the bus pulled up and they boarded.

Once they found their seats, Joey continued looking confused.

"The guy with the hammer was also Hoar?"

"No, it sounded like it, but I think it was…" Jack looked up as he muttered to himself, going through the alphabet to try to recognize what sounded right. "Thor! That was it."

"Oh yeah…. We've talked about him in my class before."

"Really?"

"I think so. My teacher said there were a bunch of stories about him. He had adventures and stuff. It sounded cool."

"Huh," Jack replied, intrigued. Maybe he could read some about it so that if he met Tony Stark he'd be more informed. "I'll have to look through the books at home and the library. I should read one."

"And then you tell me about it?"

Jack laughed as he looked at his cousin.

"Sure thing, Joey. God forbid you read one yourself."

Joey glared, but softened into a smile as Jack nudged him with his shoulder.

When the boys finally returned home, they walked into the bookstore, only to be faced with a solemn looking Betty.

"What's wrong?" Jack asked, his hands tightening around the straps of his backpack.

"I just wanted to warn you boys of something before you go upstairs."

Jack's knuckles turned white as he gripped the padded material even more.

Joey reached over to grab hold of the bottom of Jack's shirt.

"Did something happen?" the older boy questioned.

"Your mother had a bit of an accident at work. She's a little banged up, but she'll be fine. I wanted you two to be prepared for when you see her."

"What happened to her?"

"I'll let her tell you that. I'm sure she's waiting for you."

Eyes wide with fear and worry, Jack nodded and let go of one strap in order to take hold of Joey's hand, letting the younger boy grip it tightly as they headed to the back and went up the stairs.

"What's going to happen?" Joey asked.

"Nothing," he answered with confidence he didn't quite feel. "You heard Betty, she said Mom would be fine."

"Grown ups lie."

"Not all the time. Besides, this is my mom. She's strong. Nothing bad is going to happen. Okay?"

"Okay," Joey muttered while Jack subtly took a deep breath before opening the apartment door and leading them inside.

Loki stood in the kitchen, holding a bag of frozen peas and stilling when he saw the boys.

"Is Mom okay?" Jack asked.

He knew Joey had a point. Adults did lie, but Loki wouldn't sugarcoat it.

"Nothing a little time and care won't cure."

Jack visibly relaxed a little and he released Joey's hand. Both boys then went about unloading their backs.

Inside her bedroom, Grace took a deep breath. She had allowed herself to wallow in pain and self pity for a few hours, soaking up comfort from Loki. Never before had she felt so completely powerless. Even after she woke up in that bathroom so many years ago, at least then she had been spared. Ignorance had been a blissful, silver lining, but now it was different. When she closed her eyes, she could feel that man's hands around her throat, hear his voice shouting at her, smell him as he closed in on her. Fear and anger churned in her gut, and it only intensified as she looked in the mirror, seeing the carnage that had been wrought on her face.

Taking a deep breath, she shook her head.

It could be a little bit better, and a whole lot worse.

She was alive, relatively unharmed, and safe. Just like she had done after her first attack, she will rally and move on.

It would be easier now. She had people who loved and supported her.

Everything would be fine.

Opening the bedroom door, she stepped out and went down the hall, seeing the boys.

When she met her son's gaze, she saw his heart break.

"Oh, Jack," she muttered, rushing over to take both of them into her arms. She felt her son start to cry as he gripped her. "I'm fine, sweetheart. It looks worse than it is. I promise."

"What happened?"

"Someone at work was saying how cavemen were obviously more awesome than ninjas and I had to set them straight. You should see the other guy."

"Really?!" Joey asked, pulling back.

Jack, however, only let her go to stare at her sternly. "That's not funny."

"Oh, come on. I don't even get a sympathy laugh?"

"I think you look cool," Joey said, although he looked a little shaky himself.

She smiled at her nephew.

"Thank you, now go wash up and start your homework."

The boy groaned loudly, but otherwise did as he was told.

Jack continued to watch her.

"What happened?" he asked again.

Grace led him to the couch and they both sat down.

"A man at work was upset. He thought I was responsible for something, so he got a little violent."

"But I thought the hospital had security."

"They do, but sometimes bad things like this happen."

'What's going to happen to him?"

"I don't know, buddy, but that's not something you have to worry about. You got to focus on your big night."

"You're still going to go?" he asked, shocked.

"Of course. It's going to take a lot more than this to keep me from breaking a promise."

Jack's face broke out into a wide grin before he leaned over and hugged his mother tightly.

"I love you."

"I love you, too. Now go start your homework. We'll have something to eat a little later, then head back to the school."

"Okay," he replied, getting up and going into his room.

Loki soon sat in the vacated spot, handing her the frozen peas which she placed against her cheek and jaw.

"You seem better," he said, referring to her mental state, not physical.

"I think I needed to just get the crying and angst out of my system."

"I think you don't like your son seeing you weak."

She glanced over at him. "That too, but I'm fine. Really. It's not that big of a deal."

Loki clenched his teeth together, shaking his head as he obviously disagreed.

Seeing him, she reached over to cover his fist with her hand, soothing him.

"It is not right," he whispered harshly.

"No, it's not, but there's a lot more injustice in the world. Don't let this get to you."

Still, he didn't relax. Not one muscle in his body released its tension.

Sighing, she leaned over, kissing the tightened muscle of his jaw. Finally, he let out a deep breath before turning his head and resting his forehead to hers, gently enough to not hurt any of her injuries.

"It's okay," she whispered, raising a hand and caressing his face and neck with just the tips of her fingers. "I'm still right here. Everything is going to be okay."

He scoffed quietly, but didn't pull away.

"You are the injured party, but you are still the one doing to comforting."

"That's just because I have too many protective males in my life."

Loki allowed himself a small chuckle before pulling away from her.

"I can go start making supper."

"Oh no you don't," she laughed, getting to her feet. "I'd rather not set the kitchen on fire." She ignored his insulted expression. "But you're more than welcome to keep me company while I scrounge something up."

"I suppose," he said, smirking as he followed her into the kitchen.

* * *

"How is he?"

Heimdall never altered his stance, even as Thor approached.

"Your brother is content, but cruelty still pervades his being."

Thor frowned and gazed at where the bridge was still under reconstruction.

"He is in love with her, is he not?"

"It would appear so."

"Then that is good news."

"The woman and her offspring incite emotions within him that he is inept in dealing with. When you came to care for Jane Foster, you merely wished to protect her. You left her to do so. Loki does not share your selflessness, nor your honor. His strategy to defend is based on vengeance and wrath."

"But he has come such a long way. Even Father believes it so."

"Your brother may never be cured of his malcontent. Either way, unless the Midgardian woman is aware of the entire situation, she cannot be burdened with healing your brother alone."

"I do now know of the Allfather's plan for Loki, or for this human woman and her children. I do know that Father does not intend on leaving Loki on Earth forever. Soon the day will come when Loki will return to his true home."

Thor could only hope that his brother would still see Asgard as his true home.

* * *

"Just give me a minute. I want to go get it ready before you see it, okay?" Jack asked, wringing his hands together.

"Sure thing, buddy. Have Joey come and get us when you're ready."

Both boys took off down the hall to the gymnasium where the Invention Convention was taking place.

Once they were out of sight, Grace turned towards Loki, ignoring the looks she was getting from other parents and the school staff.

It was bothering him more than it was her.

"Why must they stare?" he griped quietly.

"I don't know. It's human nature?"

"It's insulting and disrespectful," he spat.

"They're just looking, Loki. It's not like they are giving him a round of applause for his good work."

A small growl vibrated in his throat.

"You're being ridiculous," she said with a shake of her head.

"Truly? They are the ones gawking at you with some sort of sick fascination, but _I_ am the one that is out of line."

"I never said that, but people are going to do what they're going to do. It's the same reason why whenever there's a car accident people have to slow down and stare at what's going on. It's going to happen anyway, so why work yourself up about it?"

"What would you have me do, then?"

"Fuck 'em," she said, bluntly.

Loki reared back, looking positively scandalized.

"Excuse me?"

"Who cares what they think, Loki? I don't give a shit, so I suggest you do the same."

"Oh, you don't mean that I actually go and-"

"Oh God, Loki!" she scolded, scrunching her face up in disgust. "Now you really are being ridiculous."

"Well it's a bit ridiculous that you people have so many different definitions for that one word."

"'You people'?"

He didn't get a chance to reply as Joey came up behind Grace and tugged on her hand.

"Jack is upset."

Immediately, the conversation was forgotten as Grace's maternal instincts honed in like a laser.

"What happened?"

Joey didn't say, just glumly led his aunt into the gym and to Jack's display.

Loki followed.

Jack saw behind the table, slumped in his chair, using the back of his hand to wipe his tears away as he cried silently.

A sheet laid over something on the table, but Grace only had eyes for her son. Quickly, she knelt beside him, asking him what had happened.

Loki, however, moved towards the table and lifted the sheet, looking beneath it to see a busted pile of metal and wires.

"Someone sabotaged my project. It was perfect when we left, but now it's broken. I'd have to build it from scratch all over again," he said, his face crumpling into tears again as he practically fell into his mother's arms.

"Oh, sweetheart, I'm sorry. I know how important this is to you."

While Grace comforted her son, Loki looked around, trying to set eyes on the culprit. Finally, his gaze settled on a familiar boy. The one who had bullied Jack the last time he was at the school was currently smirking at the sight of a weeping Jack.

Apparently, he hadn't learned his lesson.

The boy's eyes suddenly shifted and he noticed the malevolent glare he was receiving from Loki. His face paled, eyes widening in fright.

But it wasn't Loki who acted.

It was Joey.

The young boy had looked up and saw Trent's smirk, then his fear. Joey had witnessed Trent's treatment of Jack. Most people ignored Jack, the only one who would do something so mean was Trent.

"You!" the boy screamed and took off running, throwing himself at the startled boy, the momentum taking them both to the ground. Trent tried to grab Joey, but not before the little boy had managed to slam his fist against the older boy's nose, hitting it hard enough to draw tears.

Loki hurried over and plucked a wriggling, furious Joey off Trent. Parents, staff, and other students were quickly gathering around, and Loki whispered in Joey's ear for him to remain silent before placing the now tamed child back on the ground.

"What is going on here?" the principal asked, glaring at Joey then Trent as he picked himself off the ground and wiped his eyes.

"Trent got beat up by a little boy!" one student said, laughing loudly.

"Awww! Give him a tissue! Such a cry baby!"

More students laughed, taunting Trent while parents tried to shush the kids.

"That boy attacked him!" one parent said.

"Joey, is that true?"

Joey didn't say anything, just stared at the principal with silent stubbornness.

The principal stared back, but he had nothing on the absolute immovability that was Joey.

"Well that's fighting on school property, Joey. That's an automatic two day suspension."

Loki glanced down at the boy as Grace came forward.

"What's happened?"

"Joey here attacked Trent for no reason. That's incredibly troubling behavior, Miss Stewart. Although it would seem violence is commonplace in your household," the principal said, even giving Loki a suspicious glance.

"How dare you make assumptions and judgments like that. Now if Joey did something wrong, then punish him, but don't you look down on me. My son's project was sabotaged, but I don't see you doing a damn thing about it."

"There were no witnesses for that. Everyone here saw your boy attack Trent, unprovoked I may add."

Grace looked down at Joey who merely gazed back at Jack and his ruined project. Her gaze followed his before traveling over to Loki, a question in her eyes.

With a nod, he confirmed her suspicions.

"Then what's his punishment?"

"Two day suspension, starting tomorrow."

"Fine."

She took hold of Joey and lifted him up into her arms before turning and walking away.

"Did he ruin Jack's project?" she asked quietly.

Joey nodded, looking hesitant as he wondered if he'd get punished at home, too.

"Then you're getting ice cream when we get home."

"Really?!" he asked.

"Yes, but as you eat it we're going to have a long talk about how violence is never the answer. Got it?"

Joey nodded. She set him down when they got back to Jack's table.

"Are you ready to go home then, buddy?" she asked.

"Yeah. No point in staying here."

"I'm so sorry."

He nodded, sniffling quietly as he just walked away from his display.

Loki followed behind them, casting one last glance over at the bully who was now shouting at his peers to 'shut up' since they were still teasing him for getting beat up by a baby.

A smirk played at Loki's lips, knowing the loss of reputation would sting so much worse than any institutional punishment for his crime.

Once outside, he approached Jack, laying a hand on his shoulder and squeezing softly. Jack glanced up at him, looking lost.

"From the great words of your mother," Loki said, "'Fuck 'em'."

"Loki!" Grace admonished, surprised.

Jack couldn't help but laugh, and then laugh even harder at Loki's innocent expression.

"What? I thought the sentiment was appropriate."

"Oh for God's sake," she huffed.

Loki met Jack's gaze and shrugged.

Jack's smile remained at his lips, even if it dimmed slightly.

"I wanted to prove I could do something great."

"You don't need to prove it, Jack. Your genius would be wasted on all of them, anyway."

"You think so?"

"I know it."

Jack nodded, looking down at his feet. Grace, however, stared at Loki, a soft smile directed towards him. She really did love seeing him comfort and guide her son. It warmed her heart.

The bus approached the stop and they all boarded. Silently, they all rode home.

The bookstore was closed by the time they returned, Betty having already retired for the evening. Once upstairs, Grace had served up ice cream for the boys, and, as promised, gave them a long lecture on why violence is never the answer.

Loki, however, didn't listen. Violence was a fairly good answer, if used properly. Sometimes, it was the only answer.

And when one had the ability to apply it with the skill the Loki wielded, it was the most effective answer imaginable.

Grace put the boys to bed before readying herself for the night as well. Before long, they laid together in her bed, his fingers brushing through her hair, soothing her into a deep sleep.

Loki gazed at her, her soft features tainted by bruises and pain.

Joey had solved Jack's problem by attacking him, and while Grace couldn't condone the behavior, it worked. For hours, Loki had debated with himself over Grace's issue. That man hurt her. Intentionally, with ill intent. He had began to strangle the life out of her.

Loki could not allow that man to go on without recompense.

He would not allow it.

Leaning over, Loki brushed a soft kiss to her forehead before slipping out of bed.

It was time for Loki to do a little problem solving of his own.

* * *

A/N: I'm going to apologize for any errors. I'm too tired for editing and this chapter went a lot longer than I had anticipated. I'm also trying to get the ball rolling on the plot. I'd also like to thank every one for their patience with me. I was out of the country for a month, then I've been having some health problems. I haven't given up on the story, so please don't give up on me.


	22. Chapter 20: Family Matters

_Disclaimer: Not mine._

_A/N: This picks up immediately after the end of the previous chapter._

* * *

Grace smiled softly, feeling the cool lips press to her forehead. Even with her eyes closed, she reached for the giver of the kiss, her brow furrowing slightly when she realized he was retreating from her. One hand rubbed her eyes while she used her other arm to prop herself up on her elbow as she looked across the room, seeing Loki try to slink out the door.

"Loki?" she questioned quietly. "Where are you going?"

She watched as he froze, his shoulders tensing as he muttered something to himself, but she couldn't discern the words. Slowly, however, he turned to face her.

"There's something I need to do."

There was a cold, determined look in his eyes that she had never seen there before, but it certainly put her on edge.

Swallowing hard and wincing as it strained her bruised throat, she sat up the rest of the way.

"What could you possibly need to do at..." she glanced at the clock, "3:17 in the morning?"

Silently, he moved towards her and she realized that if he hadn't kissed her forehead, she would have never heard him move about the apartment, despite being an extremely light sleeper.

He lowered himself to the edge of the bed so he was facing her while he sat, his hands taking hold of hers.

"It is nothing for you to concern yourself with," he told her softly, even comfortingly. "I shall return in mere hours."

There was something off about him. Something different and wrong. His soothing only managed to make her more unnerved, her intuition was screaming at her that something was just not right.

"What are you doing?" she questioned, pulling her hands away from where his fingers were stroking her knuckles. While normally she loved any caress from him, now it was just creepy.

"Why are you upset?" he practically cooed, tilting his head to the side slightly.

A flash of anger spiked through her and she quickly moved around him and got to her feet.

"Don't patronize me, Loki," she warned, "What the hell is going on with you? And don't you dare lie to me."

The macabre, soft look on his face disappeared, revealing the underlying anger. The look in his eyes caused her to shiver as if she could feel the icy coldness that he seemed to project through his very skin.

"There is something that I must attend to. Unresolved matters," he replied briskly.

"Where?"

His jaw tightened and he glared over her head at the door she had ended up blocking.

But still, he did not answer.

"Obviously you don't want to tell me because, what? You don't think I'll approve?"

"I know for a fact that you will not condone the actions that I have planned, but as the saying goes, 'It's better to ask for forgiveness, than it is to get permission'."

Her chest twisted, and she took a step back towards the door. Not to try to get away from him, but to make sure she was blocking it.

"Loki," she said softly. "What are you planning?"

His gaze traveled over her, his body tightening with contempt as he took in each wound. He slowly closed in on her, his hand raising to cup her face, thumb brushing against her bruised and lacerated cheek.

Grace softened slightly at his touch, the false pretense from before was gone.

Even through the malice of his gaze, there was just a flicker of vulnerability, of his own pain at witnessing her broken form.

"He hurt you," he whispered with harsh desperation. "He must pay for that."

She reached up with both hands and took hold of his wrist, pulling him from her cheek so she could press a kiss to his palm, hoping to calm the maelstrom so obviously raging inside of him.

"And he will, Loki. He'll go to prison, and-"

"That is not good enough," he snapped, wrenching his hand from hers. "He should pay with his own blood and suffering."

"And that's where you were going, then? To make him pay?"

He stared at her unapologetically, not denying her deduction.

Tears filled her eyes as she struggled to breathe, feeling as if the air had disappeared from her lungs.

"How dare you," she whispered, her dark eyes staring at him in betrayal. "How could you even-"

"I will not discuss this with you, now move aside."

"No. If you're so determined, then you're going to have to shove me aside, because I will not let you do this."

"You think that man deserves mercy?!" he spat, grabbing onto her shoulders tightly. "You think he should be spared?!"

Grace cringed from his grip and the strength of his hatred, but she forced herself to look up into his eyes.

"No. I pray to God that man gets what's coming to him in prison, but I will be damned if I let you go after him. I won't let you do that to me. I won't let you do that to the boys."

"What?"

"Loki, I know you're angry about this. I know you hate what he did to me, but please, _please_, see through all of that."

"I cannot do what you ask," he said, giving her a hard stare as he slowly, but forcefully, moved her away from the door.

"_Fine_," she hissed, spitting the word out as panic flared in her chest, her back hitting the wall while he grabbed at the doorknob. "Go get your revenge. I hope it's worth it, because they'll know you did it, and when they're dragging you away in chains, when Jack and Joey plead for answers, all I'll say is that this is what you wanted. This is what you chose over us."

He whirled around, facing her again. "I'm doing this for you!"

"No! You're doing it for you! I could see it in your eyes, feel it in your touch. You just turn it on like a switch. One minute you're sweet and normal, then the next you're cruel and... God, there's just _so_ much malevolence inside of you. I don't know what to do about it, Loki! I don't know if I can-..." She took a deep breath, glancing at the ground for a moment while her tongue flicked over her split lip. With a slow shake of her head, she looked back over at him, the fight leaving her body. "I won't beg for you to stay. I won't get on my knees and plead, but if you walk out that door, if you bring more pain into this home; burn what we've created to the ground all for your need for revenge, then you will never get my forgiveness. I will not raise a goddamn finger to help you, and I swear to God, Loki, I will _not_ mourn for you when you're torn from our lives."

Loki gazed at her as she trembled, her arms wrapping tightly around her waist as she slumped against the wall.

She looked so tired.

They all were just _so_ tired.

He glanced back at the door, his palm itching to reach for it, but could he risk it? He was without his abilities, he could not ensure his success. If he failed, if he was caught, it wouldn't just be the police after him like Grace assumed. It would be S.H.I.E.L.D. It could even be Thor. Everything that he gained since waking up in this room months ago would be lost. Grace, Jack, and Joey (fine, Betty, too) would be lost to him.

Forever.

That thought alone left him mirroring her figure as he drooped against the door, sliding down it until he sat on the floor, resting his elbows against his knees and pressing his clasped hands against his head. With a deep sigh, he closed his eyes.

"I hate feeling like this," he confessed quietly, drawing her attention from where she had been staring at her feet. "Powerless. He hurt you, Grace, and there is nothing... I couldn't..."

She pushed herself off the wall and approached, sinking to her knees in front of him, her hands moving to rest on his knees.

"It's okay, Loki. It could have been a little bit better and a whole lot worse."

He scoffed at her, flashing her an angrily disheartened look. She ignored him and instead grabbed his hands and got to her feet, tugging him insistently. Without protest, he followed her back to the bed where they settled back between the sheets.

"I'll heal," she whispered, curling into him. "The bruises and cuts will fade, I'm not traumatized or anything. Soon enough this will just be a bad memory. We're giving him too much credit if we make it any more than that. Just please, let it go."

Loki nodded absently, but kept his thoughts to himself.

Yes, he was furious about what happened to her.

Yes, he wanted to seek revenge on the perpetrator.

But it was also a rude awakening.

He couldn't protect her.

Not always.

Someone, anyone, could attack her or the boys and there wasn't anything he could do about it.

Fate was a cruel bitch, and he couldn't help but feel as if she was gearing up to really take him down.

* * *

Throughout the next week, tense silence reigned supreme.

Jack mourned the loss of his project, his chance at meeting his idol. All of it was gone, and to top it off, he was getting teased at school even more, since he needed a little kid to protect him from mean bullies. He couldn't believe that Joey would be so impulsive, so stupid. Didn't he get that he'd only make things worse for him? Did he even care? At school and at home, Jack was cold to the boy, ignoring him and snapping at him to leave him alone. Never had he acted like that before. He had always been patient and kind, even when Joey was being difficult, but now he was too hurt.

And he wanted Joey to hurt too.

"Jack," the younger boy asked quietly as he approached him where he sat at the kitchen table. "Could you please fix my toy?"

Joey's uncharacteristic meekness was solely caused by Jack's recent change in behavior. The younger one looked up to Jack, and since his parents had left, he had clung even more to him. Being treated so poorly had really shaken him.

"Maybe you should stop breaking everything. Ever think of that?" Jack replied.

Loki, who had been sitting on the couch reading, glanced over at the boys, watching them curiously.

Joey frowned at Jack.

"I don't break everything."

"Well you certainly screw everything up!"

"No I don't! You're being mean. Why are you so mad at me?"

"Because everyone makes fun on me now because of you. I get picked on even more now because you're a violent brat who only cares about himself!"

"No!" he shouted, stamping his foot. "I did it because he's always mean to you. I was sticking up for you. We're brothers now, that's what I'm supposed to do."

"No, Joey," Jack said coldly, gathering his book and getting to his feet. "You are not my brother. You'll never be my brother."

With one last glare, he shoved past Joey and went into his bedroom, slamming the door behind him.

Loki continued gazing at Joey, only seeing his back as he hung his head, sniffling quietly. He wished Grace was at home instead of at work. She'd know what to say to fix all this.

She always knew what to say to fix things.

His silver tongue worked well for manipulation and deceit, even insincere condolences and words of wisdom, but with this family, he always seemed at a loss.

Or worse, on the verge of telling the truth.

How could he try to talk to Joey, when he usually played the role Jack just fulfilled? When he had snapped at Thor, throwing the same denial of brotherhood his way, he had wanted to hurt him.

And he had succeeded.

How many times had Thor pleaded with him to make peace? To come home?

His loving older brother, so quick and eager to forgive.

Yet, continually, Loki denied him. Verbally and physically attacked him.

As children, there had always been some level of competition between them, but the divide between them started on the outside before it seeped into Loki's mind. Thor never belittled him intentionally. Sure, he jested, he teased, but Thor was always loyal.

Had always been loyal, until Loki's continual treachery finally tipped the scales.

And now, his brother was lost to him forever.

Setting his book down, Loki quietly got to his feet and made his way over to Joey, putting his hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Joey? Are you all right?"

He sniffled again, shaking his head before turning around and gazing up at him with wide, tear-filled eyes. His cheeks were damp, his lower lip quivering slightly.

"Jack hates me."

"He doesn't hate you."

"He said we weren't brothers. I thought we were, now that my parents don't want me."

Loki couldn't take it anymore. He wouldn't let what happened between his brother and himself even start to happen between these two boys.

"That's it," he said finally, taking Joey's hand and leading him towards the boys' room. "I have had quite enough of this."

"Huh?"

Loki swung the door open, startling Jack who was sitting on the top bunk.

"Get down," Loki said sternly.

Jack's wide, shocked eyes looked from Loki to Joey as he slid off the bed and landed on his feet.

Loki quickly had both boys sitting next to one another on the lower bunk.

"Jack," he started, "I understand your frustration, but blaming Joey and treating him badly will only do you both ill in the end."

"But he-"

"I have heard your thoughts on the matter," he snapped, cutting the boy off mid-sentence. "And I find them insufficient. Joey, as I have ascertained throughout my time here, has watched you be bullied by that boy for a long time. Is that not true?"

"It is," he muttered, looking annoyed still.

"So he saw you, someone he admires, someone who is a brother to him, he saw you in pain and he acted. Perhaps it was not the best course of action, but he had the right intentions. Why are you holding that against him?"

"It's his fault that the teasing is worse."

"No, Jack. The only ones responsible for you getting teased are the children doing the teasing. The only fault of his is attempting to help you, and you punish him severely for it. How many tears must he cry before he is forgiven? How much pain must he feel before your quota is met?"

Jack looked over at Joey who sat there quietly, picking at a hangnail, his eyes focused on it like it was the most important thing in the world.

The older boy sighed, feeling sick with guilt at how he treated the younger boy, but he was just an easy target. That only made Jack the bully.

"I'm sorry, Joey," he mumbled.

Joey's head perked up so he could look over at his forlorn cousin.

"Really? You mean it?"

Jack nodded.

"It's just... I hate it there. The kids there are so mean, they pick on me constantly, saying that I'm weak and pathetic, asking me if my baby cousin is going to come beat them up, but it's not your fault I can't stick up for myself. You only tried to help and I bit your head off. I'm sorry."

Loki knelt down by the bed.

"Perhaps it is time for you to talk to your mother about the situation with your peers.."

Jack shook his head. "No. She goes through a lot to send us there."

"She would not want you to be in pain, Jack. Talk to her."

Jack met Loki's gaze for a long moment before reluctantly nodding.

"Good," Loki said, getting to his feet again. "You two must remember to stick together. You cannot allow such insignificant issues to come between you. You will both suffer in the end if you do so. Even if their blood is not shared, the bond between brothers is strong, but if one keeps denying its existence, if too much damage is done, it can break and I fear that it can never be unbroken."

"Did that what happened to you?" Jack asked.

"Yes. For a long time, I had been under the impression that my brother had wronged me. I held him is such contempt that I was without logic and reason. I have many regrets, but perhaps the chief among them is losing my brother."

"He'll never forgive you?" Joey questioned.

"I do not deserve it. Not from anyone, but not from him most of all," he replied gravely."

Quickly, Joey whipped around to Jack.

"I forgive you Jack. I don't care that you were mean to me. We're okay now, right?" he said, latching onto the older boy with a tight hug.

Jack awkwardly tried to return the vice-like hug, but since Joey's arms were locking his arms to his sides, he just patted him.

"We're okay. I promise not to be mean to you again, okay?"

Joey nodded against his arm while Jack looked back over at Loki, seeing his bereft expression. When he noticed Jack gazing at him, he forced a smile to his face before quietly leaving the room.

Jack watched as the door shut behind him, but all he could do was just tighten his hold on Joey and take Loki's lesson to heart.

Despite the calmness that had settled in the air, the tense silence resumed after Grace returned home from work. Although Jack and Joey had reconciled, things between Grace and Loki were still a bit rocky, something which was slowly gnawing on Loki's last nerve. For too long, he had lived in tense silence on Asgard. He would not tolerate it here, too.

Sure, Grace smiled at him, even laid a hand on his shoulder here and there, but he could see it in her eyes. Her wariness, her doubt.

It was driving him insane.

Dinner went by quietly, with the boys doing most of the talking, mainly about toys or another project that Jack could start. After they cleaned up the kitchen, the boys went up to the roof to play, leaving Grace and Loki to themselves.

Something they normally enjoyed, but not recently.

As Grace sat on the couch, staring blankly at some show that was on, Loki finally snapped.

Again.

Shutting his book with a loud smack, he glared over at Grace who had jumped from the sudden loud noise.

"You are a hypocrite. Do you know that?" he said, tilting his head to the side while he glared at her.

Grace, however, reared back a little, confused.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me."

And immediately, the confusion morphed into anger.

"Fine. How about you then explain to me why you're calling me a hypocrite."

"I have seen men and women fight for the ones they care about. Acts of aggression that are considered justified because they are for another's sake, someone they care about. You attacked that child when you saw him harassing Jack, but when I when to seek justice for what happened to you, you deny me and treat me as if I am some sort of selfish, vicious monster. You said that you do not want the legal consequences reaped upon me, but that offers no motive behind your recent behavior. You stare at me as if I am culpable of something, as if I am some evildoer that you do not know."

A guilty look flashed across her face as she glanced down at her knees for a moment before turning the television off and facing him.

"It's not about what you wanted to do, Loki. I understand now why you would want to go after that guy. I don't blame you for that," she tried to assure, but winced at the annoyed disbelief so clearly visible on his face. "But something else _has_ been bothering me."

"And yet you could not find the courage to speak to me about it. You must scurry around me instead."

Again, she couldn't meet his gaze, lowering her own to where her finger was wrapping itself around a spare thread from the couch cushion.

When she still didn't respond, he felt the anger within him rise up again, but with it, was panic. What did he do now? Why couldn't she just talk to him?

"Grace, even I cannot fix a problem of which I am not aware," he muttered darkly.

She licked her bottom lip and took a deep breath, the thread around her finger finally snapping.

"The guy who attacked me... He wouldn't have been the first man you've... _gone after_, would he?" she asked, closing her eyes as if to hide from his response. "There's always been something dangerous about you, I've felt it since you woke up on my bed the first day, but that night it was like this piece of the puzzle finally found its place. I believe you do care about me and my safety, and that your intentions were to make him pay for what he did, but you knew exactly what you were going to do, exactly how to do it. That wasn't new to you. You've hurt people before, haven't you?"

Finally, she looked over to him, seeing his purposefully stoic expression.

It was difficult to read him even when he was being open to her, when he shut down he was like a vault.

But even though she couldn't sense his emotions, she could see his mind at work, the cogs turning inside his head.

Loki knew that this wasn't a fleeting thought for her. This one would stick around, burrow deep. He had to answer her, but a clear lie would never be enough. He couldn't charm her with his voice and a smile, pat her on the head and tell her there were no monsters in her room, not if he is in there with her.

Still, knowing that he had to give her something, he couldn't find it within himself to lie to her completely. He cared for her too much to do something like that. For too long he had gotten away with her complete ignorance. Perhaps paying a bit now will be enough.

Taking a deep breath, he set his book onto the end table before getting to his feet.

"Come with me," he said quietly.

Her brow furrowed, "Why?"

"Because I would prefer to have this conversation in a place where Jack and Joey will not walk in and overhear."

She bit her lip, but nodded and followed him into their room, shutting the door behind them. When she stayed by the door, watching him, he sat down on the bed, gazing over at her resignedly.

"You do not even know what it is I am going to say, yet you already fear me," he said.

Grace took a deep breath and then walked over to the bed, sitting down beside him.

"I'm sorry," she said, shaking her head before looking over at him with a sincerely apologetic expression. "I've never met anyone like you, Loki. I've never _cared_ about anyone the way I care about you, but there is _so_ much about you that I don't know. My heart is telling me that I can trust you, that I truly have nothing to fear when it comes to you, but my head is saying something different. I don't mean to hurt you by saying this, but I can't take the risk of having you in my life if there's any chance that you're a threat to us. I will not put my family in danger because of you, no matter how much it would break my heart to turn you away."

Loki was quiet for a long moment, soaking in her words. It was nothing he didn't expect, but it still caused a sharp pain to stab him in the chest.

"Do you want me to go?" he whispered, resting his elbows on his knees while staring at the floor.

"I _want_ you to tell me that I'm being ridiculous and you're as safe as can be, but what I _need_ is for you to tell me the truth."

Absently nodding, he forced himself to swallow, surprised by how dry his mouth was at the moment.

"The most important thing for you to know and remember is that I deeply regret what I have done. Telling you this story will shame me, for my past deeds are rather unconscionable. Do you understand?" He noticed her nod from his peripheral vision. "Then I will start from the beginning. I was raised in a very powerful and prominent family. I will not reveal their identities to you, as it is not pertinent and you will not know of them, for my home is far from here. The man who raised me was an exceptionally strict and unforgiving man. He had fought in many battles and they hardened him. He only excepted the best, and as children, my brother and I strove to be just that… the best. The only issue of course, is only one could be _the best_. As we grew older, my brother became the epitome of what society saw as perfection, while I, on the other hand, shifted farther and farther from what was accepted. Sure, my position within the family ensured that no one speak of my strangeness openly, but I heard the whispers… Everyone heard the whispers. _'How could one such as he be so peculiar? He is not strong or fair like his brother, like us.' _I quickly figured out that when one cannot be strong, one must be clever. So _that_ is what I became the best in, but my father did not approve and my brother did not care.

"All I ever wanted was to make my father proud, to prove my worth, but everything I did seemed to only make me more and more of an outcast. At first, it hurt. I felt a void within me that could not be filled, but as time passed, as my father continued to ignore me, and my brother's continued brash and ignorant actions brought him nothing but glory, that pain turned into something worse, something much more dangerous. To make matters worse, I soon found out that I was not even blood. I was never truly part of that family; I was the son of the enemy. I had been found and taken from a faraway place by the man who raised me, even though my kind was hated by all. Still, they lied to me for years, forced me to try to conform to be like them, when it was never possible for me to be accepted. I was always going to be different. I was always going to be a monster because of my heritage, and I was powerless to change that.

"I could tell you of my plans, or my rationalizations for doing what I did, but the truth of the matter is that I detested my father and my brother for who they were, so I tried to kill them. I tried to slay my father while he remained comatose in his bed, while my mother mourned for him nearby, but my brother thwarted me, and so I fought him, but he has always been stronger. I doubt I ever truly had a chance, so when I inevitably failed, I was cast out. I lost everything. My place in the world, my shadow of a family and home. Everything. So there you have it, Grace. There is your truth. I am familiar with violence, because I was once a vicious fighter, and I am familiar with evil for it runs in my veins. I cannot lie to you. I am not only dangerous, I am lethal, but I was honest that day you rescued me from the hospital."

Finally, he looked over at her and said with the utmost assurance, "I will never hurt you or those boys. I would die before I caused any of you pain. I swear it."

Grace couldn't help but stare into his eyes, his story shaking her to her core. She didn't even know what to think. She knew he was complicated, but this so far above her head.

"And so I will ask you again, do you want me to go?"

Her mind raced.

He admitted it to her. He was dangerous. He tried to kill his own family members. Hate had filled his heart so much that he actually tried to murder his father and brother. She had caught glimpses of his cruelty and coldness, but she couldn't even imagine how he would be if that consumed him. He would be a force to be reckoned with.

Yet that was the thing. It didn't consume him now. Now, he seemed at peace, for the most part. He was loving and supportive, everything she hadn't known she wanted in her life. Loki completed their family. That wasn't something she could just toss aside. His past was horrifying, but how important was it?

How relevant was it?

Looking at him, she couldn't see anything but the pleading vulnerability in his eyes. That was not the look of a stone cold killer. That was the look of a man clinging to the last shred of hope and happiness in his life.

He had once told her she was his second chance, and besides trying to protect her, he had not given her any reason to think that he would bring harm to them. He was in too much pain from the hurtful memories of his past to do anything like that again in the future. He wasn't a danger to them. He never was, nor will he ever be.

She had to believe that. With both her heart and her mind.

"No," she said, her voice quiet but strong. She leaned closer to him, cupping the side of his face gently with her palm to make sure he met her gaze. "I don't want you to go. You belong here… in your home, with your family."

And that was all there was to it.

* * *

_A/N Part Deux: Thanks for the reviews. I do try to respond to them, but sometimes a few slip by. This update was supposed to be out days ago, but the plumbing in my house decided to say a big 'Fuck you' to me and I've been dealing with that nonsense. _

_Anyway, I have finally figured out what the hell I want to do with this story and planned out the chapter by chapter plot, so hopefully I can get my shit together with this story because I've been feelin' the muse doing its thing and want to write more Loki fiction. Saying that, I'm thinking of starting up another story, but I've got too many ideas floating around in my head so I'm going to start asking the readers to help me narrow it down. I'd like to know what you guys would be interested in reading. _

_Do you guys prefer drama or comedy? Would you want the story to take place on Earth or someplace else (not Asgard)? How do you feel about a more action based plot than emotional turmoil? Any ideas/requests that you'd like to see fulfilled? _

_Honestly, I'd like to know. I have a few story lines just floating in my head, but I need to work through it and I'd like your input. So let me know. PM me or mention it in a review, I have no preference. _

_Thanks in advance for those who participate, and for those who don't thanks for reading this long ass Author's Note anyway. _


	23. Chapter 21: Not With a Bang

_Disclaimer: Not mine_

* * *

His family.

His home.

That is what she had called it; that is what they were now.

As the family sat around the spare table set up in the bookstore, Loki ignored the book in his hands and instead glanced at the two boys and the woman with whom he was sitting beside.

The boys were finally getting along again, almost as if there had never been any trouble in the first place.

Oh, the joys of youth.

It was a treasure that they could just move on as they had, even after what Jack had said.

Although the situation was different, although their relationship was young and untested, seeing Jack shout at Joey, denying brotherhood, seeing that had resonated with Loki. When he had said that to his own brother, he had meant to cut Thor. Still he could see the anguished expression on his brother's face, he could still hear the desperate pleas, feel Thor's grasp tighten on him as if to shake sense into his body. Even during the heat of battle, Thor had been willing to forgive, to try to help his little brother right his wrongs and fix the world he was breaking.

Now, he wondered if he could ever stomach facing his brother again. The guilt and shame churned within him, clawed up his throat and forced him to wince at the very idea of standing before Thor and seeing that look of betrayal in his eyes, but the truth was simple.

Loki missed his brother.

He missed the comfort and peace of mind that came with knowing there was an individual in this world who would always stand by your side and fight for you. When had things gotten so complicated? So twisted? When had he stopped seeing Thor as impulsive but good hearted and instead saw him as cruel and uncaring? Sure, Thor was quick to act and often jumped into a fight without considering the consequences, but that was why he relied on Loki. They were two sides of the same coin, there to compensate where the other faltered.

But that was a long time ago.

Now, that was all lost.

But Loki would be damned if he was going to let the trials of life take that relationship away from Jack and Joey. He didn't care if he would have to lock the two in a room until they came to an understanding, but there was no way he would let a grudge remain.

As he watched Jack patiently and calmly help Joey with his homework, Loki allowed a small smile to play at his lips.

Thankfully, that was a concern he did not have to deal with now.

No, he solved all his problems.

His gaze turned towards the woman sitting beside him.

His second chance.

She had taken him off the street, welcomed him into her heart, her home, her family.

There were no words, no actions, to show her how much that meant to him.

Any remaining doubt within him was erased when she asked him to stay. He knew he was in love with her. Loki knew that he would always love her. No matter what happened in the future, nothing could tear her away from inside his heart.

He had been a fool to risk losing her. Yes, he could have hunted down the man who hurt her. He could have tortured him for hours, made him beg and plead for death, only to draw it out a little bit longer, but where would that have left him?

The subject of a manhunt? Under suspicion for murder?

No.

He had to suppress every dark urge he felt. Just because he could do those things, didn't mean he should. Not because it was wrong, but because it threatened his new family.

It threatened Grace's trust in him.

He would not allow her to fear him. Even if the story he told her was only a fraction of the truth and an even smaller bit of the evil that he had wrought on the universe, it had been enough to make her hesitate. The cruelty and strength of his ire frightened her. She had sensed how dangerous he was, knew that violence came as easily to him as breathing, but he had been able to circumvent the worst of her fears.

Now, he had given her enough of his history to quell any further questions, had explained the darkness she had witnessed within him. She trusted him again, with her boys and with herself. Loki knew that he could not risk anything endangering this newfound peace among them.

Oh, if it were only ever that easy.

* * *

"So," Betty said, approaching the table to stand next to Loki, mainly to annoy him. "Aren't you going to ask me how my day was?"

All four occupants of the table looked over at her, although Loki was the only one looking perturbed.

"... How was your day?" Grace asked, confused.

Betty usually walked up and forced you to listen to every detail of her day if she had something to discuss. This teasing game was strange.

"Oh, it was frustrating, but rewarding," she said while casually swiping at the air as if it was nothing.

"Well, that's good."

There was another beat of silence before Betty continued in a sing song voice, "Aren't you going to ask me what I did?"

Loki set his book down so he could rest his elbows on the table and rub his temples. He could sense a migraine in his near future.

Grace flashed him a sympathetic look, but then looked back to Betty and played along despite the confusion.

"What did you do today?"

"Oh, nothing much. Did a bit of grocery shopping, sold some books. There was this couple on their way to a birthday party for their nephew. They needed a good children's book, and there are just so many these days, you know? I probably spent, oh I don't know, a half an hour helping them find the perfect one. People are like that nowadays, so particular about their gifts, complaining about how they don't know what to get. It's exhausting, you know what I mean?"

"No, I have absolutely no idea what it is like to deal with exhausting people," Loki replied drolly, not even looking up from his position.

Grace smirked at his irritation, but reached over to rub her hand up and down the length of his spine. She could soothe his annoyance while also getting amusement from it.

"You see," Betty continued, "I know how to give gifts. I know the people I care about, and when they want something desperately it fills my heart with happiness to see them light up when I can deliver. Take Jack here, for instance. I know he worked long and hard on that project of his. He dedicated himself to it, and for a young boy that's quite an accomplishment. He deserved to win that prize, but unfortunately that wasn't how it worked out, now did it?"

Jack frowned, but nodded.

"There's always next year," he said, trying to sound optimistic, but failing spectacularly.

"Yes, but next year's prize won't be tickets to the Stark Expo," she replied.

Grace's head cocked to the side when the older woman smiled at the deepening pout on her son's face. Quickly, Betty glanced at her and winked.

The light bulb clicked on inside Grace's head.

"Betty," she whispered, "you didn't need to."

Loki glanced over at Grace, seeing the genuine love and gratitude on her face as she stared at her surrogate mother. As Grace looked more and more touched, he felt his worry rise and rise.

This didn't bode well.

"Didn't need to what?" Joey asked, looking positively stumped as to what was going on with everyone.

"Jack," Betty said, pulling an envelope out from behind her back. "Now, I know they're not VIP or anything, but you deserve to go to that hootenanny tomorrow with all those gizmos you love so much."

The boy's head popped up, eyes wide as he nervously took the envelope and looked inside.

"Four tickets to the Stark Expo!" he shouted. "Oh, Betty, thank you!"

He jumped from his seat and ran around the table, wrapping his arms around the woman's middle and hugging her tightly. Joey finally figured out what had happened and then he too jumped from his seat and joined in on the hug, both boys thanking her profusely.

Betty laughed, hugging them back while glancing back towards Grace who was practically misty eyed.

"Thank you, Betty," she said. "I wanted to, but I couldn't-... Just, thank you."

"Oh stop. This right here is my thank you," she chuckled, squeezing the boys back.

Loki, however, was glaring at the envelope as if it had personally offended him.

But maybe it wasn't a given that he was supposed to attend.

"It would appear that the four of you will all enjoy yourselves," he said, sitting up straighter in the chair.

"Oh, golly no," Betty replied. "I'm not going to that thing. That's just nonsense. The fourth ticket is for you."

Internally, he cringed, but instead gave a slight smile to the woman who thought she was doing him a favor.

"I see. Then you have my gratitude," he begrudgingly responded.

Grace swept her hand up and down his back again, drawing his attention to her.

"You all right?"

"Yes, of course. I am just not one for crowds, but I am pleased that Jack will be able to attend his special event."

"It'll only be for a few hours. What's the worst that can happen?"

He sighed deeply.

"Nothing, I'm sure."

"Well I'm going to go get my stuff ready for tomorrow," Jack said, gathering his books from the table. He took a few steps forward before pausing and turning back to Betty. "Oh, I wanted to ask you, do you have any books on Norse mythology?"

Loki whipped his head to stare at Jack in shock.

"I think so. Why?" Betty asked, already moving towards the stacks of books.

"Well when Tony Stark saved the world from those killer aliens, he was working with other superheros. Joey said there are stories about one of them. Thor."

Loki forced his body not to tense since Grace was still next to him. If he reacted too openly, she'd notice.

"So you want to read up on him?"

"Yeah. If it's not too much trouble."

Loki, who could only listen to the conversation since they had disappeared into the shelves, turned his gaze on his own book, but kept his focus on them.

"Huh... they're all gone," Betty said. She then reappeared from the stacks, Jack trailing after her. "Loki, have you seen any of the Norse mythology books? It looks like someone just scooped them all up, but I don't remember any one buying them."

Of course he had seen them. He was the one that stole them and put them in the dumpster in the alley. It had been a pre-emptive strike, but apparently he hadn't just been paranoid.

'If they are not where they ought to be, then I do not know where they could be," he said calmly.

"That's strange. Well, sorry Jack. I can't help you out."

"Oh, that's okay. Hey Mom, can I go to the library then? I'm sure they'll have some there."

"You need them tonight?" she asked.

"I'd like to read some of the stories before bed."

"You wouldn't prefer to be well rested for your event tomorrow?" Loki questioned. "I only ask because when you find a book interesting you tend to stay up late reading about it. You do not want to be yawning and stumbling around wearily tomorrow because of some old tales, do you?"

"No," Jack sighed. "I guess not. I'll just try to find the book later, then. Come on, Joey. Let's go upstairs. Thanks again for the tickets, Betty."

The boys disappeared as they went up the back staircase.

Betty looked around the store before announcing she was going in the back room to see if the books were hiding.

Grace chuckled, shaking her head.

"What?"

"That boy gets into the strangest things. I don't think I know anyone that knows a single thing about Viking gods."

"_Norse_ gods," he corrected.

"Excuse me?"

"Norse gods. Vikings were Norsemen, but were named for their actions. Norsemen are the actual collection of people who worshiped the gods. The Vikings were only a small percentage of the population."

She stared at him blankly for a moment. "How do you know that?"

"I read," he replied, clearing his throat.

"Well then why don't you just tell Jack about the Norse gods."

"I'm _hardly_ an authority on the subject."

She rolled her eyes. "Yes, because the ten year old will care about that."

"I do not see why he insists on learning the material. It is not relevant."

"He did say that one of those Avenger guys was one. That might mean that some of the old myths are true. I don't know. I don't really like thinking about it."

"Why not?"

"Because after what happened on New York, it just freaks me out a lot. There was a giant portal thing in the sky and aliens were pouring out of it and trying to kill everyone. That's a little hard to grasp, even when you see it. No one understands why they were here, no one knows who was leading them. Monsters from space... how am I supposed to protect my boys from that?"

"You don't have to. They're gone. They will never come back."

"I don't know. Gods from other planets here on Earth? With all their super powers? My only comfort is statistics. What are the chances that I'll ever run into one of them? As if a god is just going to fall from the sky and into my lap."

Loki held his breath as she let out an incredulous laugh, looking to him to join in on her amusement of the absurdity.

Hopefully she wouldn't recall his own introduction into her life.

"Yes, that does sound implausible, but stranger things have happened."

"No, Loki. They haven't."

"Well then I suppose it is a blessing that you do not have to concern yourself with the burden of dealing with a lost Asgardian."

"'_Asgardian_?'"

"I read," he again defended weakly, grabbing his book and getting to his feet. "I am retiring for the evening. Will you be doing the same?"

"Yeah, I suppose."

She followed him, stilling giving him a strange look.

When they reached the apartment and he noticed her expression his spine stiffened.

"What?"

"Are you an Asgardian?"

If he had been able to physically become paler, he might have. Instead, his body tensed, eyes widened and his jaw dropped a little, his mind racing to answer.

Not only was he from Asgard, but he was the God of Lies, so why couldn't he think of a lie to tell her?

He was too busy panicking he hadn't even noticed the smirk on her face when she had asked the question.

As he mentally stumbled for an answer, she rolled her eyes again, stepping up to him and resting her hands on his shoulders.

"Relax," she said slowly, as if talking to an idiot. "It was a _joke_, because you're so odd sometimes and you have a space notebook."

The adrenaline dissipated from him system as he glowered at her.

"I do not have a space notebook."

"Aww, sure you don't," she teased.

Then, before he could snark back she pressed a gentle kiss to his lips then pulled back with a smile.

"I don't know why I feel like I need to assure you of this, but I know you're not an alien or some god," she said casually while pulling away from him completely.

"You do?"

"Yeah." She turned and laughed while she headed to the boys' room to tuck them in for the night. "That's definitely something that you would have told me before we started sleeping together."

Loki stood there alone, closing his eyes, he tilted his head back and stared at the ceiling in defeat.

He was so screwed.

* * *

"You look like you're on your way to your execution," Grace commented, seeing Loki's expression as he gazed upon the inside of the large convention center.

He looked over at her, his face going blank.

"I prefer quiet afternoons, not _this_," he replied as he motioned to the large crowds surrounding them and the hijinks that would undoubtedly ensue.

"Well just be glad this isn't like the New York event. This is smaller and tamer, you know, more subtle."

"That man wouldn't know subtlety if it beat him over the head with a stick." When he saw her confusion, he added, "or so I heard."

Jack finally looked up from the pamphlet he and Joey were looking at, trying to find out where the start.

"It says that Tony Stark won't be making an appearance here until later."

"All right, then we'll take a look around and then when he makes his presentation we'll see that before going home. Okay?" she replied.

"There's just so much to see," the boy lamented.

"I know, buddy, but we'll do the best we can today."

She reached over and squeezed his shoulder.

"Let's start there!" Joey shouted and took off running.

"Joey!" Grace scolded and walked hurriedly after him, leaving Loki and Jack to trail after them.

"You don't want to be here, do you?" Jack asked him.

Loki glanced down at him, his brow furrowed as he considered lying.

"Not particularly," he ended up saying.

"Because you don't like Tony Stark? When we went to the museum to see the Stark exhibit you got really angry and left."

At least it wasn't Grace who put those two things together. Still, it startled Loki to realize that Jack was observant enough to pick up on that.

"I will admit that I do not find him nearly as amusing as he finds himself."

"But he's a genius and a superhero."

"You need not concern yourself with my reasons, Jack. It is your special day and, although I would rather be elsewhere, I am pleased that you have gotten your wish to see the glorified man-child."

"... Thank you?" Jack said, his face scrunching up in confusion.

"You're welcome, now go reign in Joey so your mother doesn't further descend into insanity."

Loki placed his hand between Jack's shoulder blades and guided him forward until the boy jogged over to his mother.

Over the next few hours, the tension slowly eased out of Loki's body. Joey either marveled at the creations or bluntly ridiculed them, regardless of the inventor's presence. That proved to be quite entertaining. Jack, however, analyzed each thing, questioning the mechanics and circuitry of each design. For the most part, Grace stood beside Loki, watching the boys fawn over the exhibitions. Although she could appreciate the dedication and intelligence that it took to create some of these things, she herself had no real interest in them.

Maybe he had overreacted about this. This was merely a meeting of the supposedly great innovators, trying to both cooperate and compete in designing various devices to help mankind, like Stark and that infernal energy source of his.

A few tedious hours of looking at these ill-contrived pieces of garbage, then standing among a large mass of people while Stark inflates his own ego, and then they will go home.

No big deal.

"Hey Mom, can we go by the stage now? I want to be able to see."

"Sure thing, buddy."

There was already a fair amount of people by the stage, but Jack and Joey navigated through the crowd, coming to stand by the guardrail, even if they were on the far left side of the stage.

"This will work," Jack said, smiling, practically bouncing on his toes in excitement."I can't believe we're here and about to see Tony Stark."

"Jack, just remember he'll probably only talk for a short amount of time. I'm surprised he's even showing up at all."

"I know," Jack muttered, "I just think it will be cool to see him, you know?"

Grace nodded but still hoped that her son wouldn't be discouraged.

Loki, however, was looking over at a large poster of Stark, his gaze troubled again. He didn't want to be so close, but if he tried backing away he knew she'd get suspicious of him again. He had a bad feeling about this. Although if he was spotted, hopefully Stark won't shoot first and ask questions later. In fact, of all the Avengers, Stark might be the most reasonable, having an issue with authority himself, maybe he won't run off to tell Nick Fury that they're favorite neighborhood super villain was back in town.

Maybe.

Hopefully.

More people had crowded around the stage when suddenly the lights dimmed. AC/DC started pumping through the speakers while the pyrotechnics started going off, showering the stage in sparks and fireworks. The large screen above the screen came to life, showing footage of Tony Stark at public events and as Ironman.

The music swelled while an announcer spoke, "Ladies and Gentleman, Chicago is proud to welcome... _Tony Stark_!"

The crowd went absolutely nuts as the man himself suddenly appeared on stage amongst the hoopla.

Stark held his hands up to quiet the crowd as he nodded in thanks for the enthusiastic welcoming.

"The Windy City, how good it is to be back. Did you miss me?"

The crowd answered with a deafening cheer.

"I know you did. You know, after my father defeated global tyranny, he held the first Stark Expo in 1954. In the decades that followed, he invited the world's greatest minds to contribute to the event in order to create a better living for all. When the Expo closed in 1974, we lost that glimpse into humankind's amazing future, until a few years ago that I resurrected the very embodiment of the spirit of better living through technology. It had been an honor to continue my dear old dad's legacy and re-open the Expo to explore the technological wonders that will enhance lives around the world, and it was fun. We laughed, we cried, we bettered the human condition, but sometime after I, again, saved the world, I realized something. Why not spread that knowledge? The Stark Expo experience? There are visionaries all over, so why can't I take the Expo to them, and particularly, why not start that tour with Chicago?"

The crowd erupted again.

He walked closer to the edge of the stage, looking out over the people.

"Who knows? The next great mind of the 21st century could be in this audience today," he said once the mass had quieted down, walking along the stage, looking at the individuals. "Could it be you? Or you?"

As he neared, Loki took a step back, but there were too many people and he couldn't budge. Grace looked over at him, her brow furrowing when she noticed he was trying to slip away.

"Are you all right?" she asked with concern.

He looked from worried gaze to over her shoulder where Stark was getting closer and closer. His heart raced and he could feel sweat on his palms. This was bad. This was very fucking bad.

"Grace, I-"

"Mr. Stark! Mr. Stark!" Jack cheered as Stark reached the end of the stage and made to turn around.

Tony Stark squinted slightly as the lights focused on him while he walked the length of the stage. All the adoring fans cheered when he neared them. When he heard the boy shouting his name, he smirked.

"Hi, kid," he said offhandedly, turning his head to glance at the boy. He took another step forward before he stopped, having caught sight of something odd during the glance. Slowly, he looked back over, and, yep!

There was definitely a psycho, diva Norse God, who apparently was on a sabbatical from his punishment for trying to enslave the human race, standing there amongst his fans.

Loki met his startled gaze with a defiant one of his own.

Yeah, that was him, a little less Rock of Ages than the last time he saw him, but definitely the God of Mischief and Lies.

Now, Tony Stark may be somewhat of an impulsive guy, but he's not going to call out a very powerful and probably very pissed off god in the middle of a crowded room of civilians when he didn't even have his suit that handy. He had briefly experienced Loki's strength before, he didn't want to experience it again.

"So…" Tony said, forcing his gaze from his ex-nemesis and back to the crowd as he made his way back to the stage. "Enjoy the Expo and please don't set anything or anyone on fire. Have fun."

With that, the pyrotechnics erupted in flames and sparks as he disappeared from the stage.

Meanwhile, Loki's heart still raced in his chest. Stark had definitely seen him and recognized him, but hadn't acted. Perhaps he wasn't as foolhardy as he had expected.

"We should leave now," he said to Grace, who was dealing with an ecstatic Jack.

"He said 'hi' to me, Mom! Did you see it?!"

"I did, buddy," she laughed, picking up Joey when the crowd started to disperse.

"_Grace._"

"What?" she asked while turning towards him.

"We should take our leave."

"Okay, okay. Relax."

Just when they were able to move, however, a large man in a black suit approached them.

"Excuse me, Miss?"

Grace shifted Joey higher up on her hip as she turned around to face the stranger.

"Yes?"

"Are these your two boys?" he asked, motioning towards them.

"They are. Why? Is something wrong?"

"No, it's just that occasionally Mr. Stark likes to meet some of his fans and he couldn't help but notice your family. So if you'd like you all could come back stage with me and meet him."

"Mom!" Jack shouted, immediately tugging on her arm in excitement while Joey's grip tightened too.

"Oh, please, please, please!" the younger boy begged.

She looked over at Loki who was glaring viciously at the stranger who had his own gaze purposefully away from the angry one.

"Of course," she said as she set Joey down. "Lead the way, I suppose."

Jack and Joey were practically on the man's heels as he led them around the stage.

Grace, however, lingered back for a moment before gently taking Loki's hand in her own and tugging him towards her and then after the others.

"What's wrong?"

Loki's anger dwindled out of him. If he shoved his way out of this mess, then her doubts would resurface. If he stuck around, then Tony Stark would give him away.

There was no way out of this, and he was so tired of fighting.

Maybe it was time to let the chips fall where they may.

"Nothing," he sighed.

As the group approached the door, the man got out a key to unlock it. Grace moved closer to Loki and reached up on her toes, giving him a soft kiss on his cheek.

"You worry too much, you know that?" she whispered.

Tilting his head, he gazed at her softly, every feeling she invoked in him rose in his throat, choking him. He rested his temple against the top of her head for a moment, his eyes closing as he inhaled the scent of her hair.

When he heard the door open, he straightened up and away from her. The boys immediately darted inside the large room.

"Boys!" Grace scolded, leaving Loki's side to go after them and make sure they didn't get into too much trouble. Taking a deep breath, Loki stepped past the large man and into the room. The others had gone ahead and disappeared back stage, most likely so Jack could see all the controls for the effects that had previously seen.

Loki slowly made his way to the center of the room, looking over at the simple furniture. From a distance, he could hear Grace telling Joey to set something down and for Jack not to touch that.

When he heard the door shut behind him, he figured the large man had entered the room, but it was no stranger's voice that spoke to him.

Oh no, he heard this man before.

In Germany, in his penthouse, and before he was sent back to Asgard. This was the voice he had heard up on that gaudily designed stage.

This was the mocking, arrogant voice of one Tony Stark that said, "Please tell me you're going to appeal to my humanity."

Loki winced as his words were thrown back at him. Slowly, he turned to face him as he realized one thing.

So this was how the world ended, not with a bang, but with a Stark.

* * *

_A/N: Thanks for all the reviews, favorites, follows, and such. Also, thanks for the suggestions for the upcoming story. I had planned on having this one be longer, but I figured you guys would appreciate a medium length update rather than have to wait a few more days for a longer one. I'm having a bit of trouble writing Stark, so that's why this one took a bit longer than I had anticipated. Let me know what you think!_


	24. Chapter 22: Lie to Me

_Disclaimer: Not mine._

_A/N: It's a little short, but I know you guys wanted an update and this is mainly setting things up. So enjoy, however briefly that may be._

* * *

Loki looked over at Stark, unamused.

"How witty," he replied drolly, easily slipping back into his usual demeanor.

"Long time, no see, Loki. Last time I heard you got yourself an all expense paid vacation back to the home planet so the All-pops could give you a good spanking, for.. what was it again? Oh that's right, trying to make the entire human race your bitch."

"Well thankfully for you and yours, I have now seen the error of my ways and have repented."

"And what precisely caused this change of heart? A stern cuddling session with your new family?"

Loki sneered slightly. "I would appreciate it if you keep your voice down."

"Oh, so those kids _don't_ know that their new daddy is an evil super villain? And I'm just going to go ahead and assume that the soon the be Mrs. Odinson probably doesn't know either, and that you're not going to tell them. Hmm... Yeah,_ there's_ a fool-proof plan. What could possibly go wrong there?"

Stark crossed the room, going over to the small bar that had been set up in the corner. He poured himself a drink before turning and offering one to Loki, who, as he had done before, declined.

Instead, Loki stayed rooted to his spot, eyes focused on Stark.

"I cannot begin to fathom why Odin decided to send me here, but he did. And since I have been here, I have not harmed a single person."

"What? Do you want a cookie?"

"No," he spat. "I _want_ to be left alone. I _want_ that family in there to be left alone."

"So let me get this straight: you try to take over the world, fail spectacularly, thanks to me, and you get sentenced to a lifetime of birthday parties and family dinners? And I'm supposed to just let it go because you say pretty please? Which you haven't said, by the way. Just in case you were wondering."

"If not for me, then do it for them." Loki stepped closer to Stark, glaring down at him. "Think about it. You go running off to S.H.I.E.L.D. and what precisely do you think they're going to do? Take me away from them and then what? Let the family that knew too much just go their separate ways? You know how secretive they are."

"Oh good," Stark cheered mockingly. "Here comes the blackmail. I was actually wondering when it would show up."

"Well then how about some insurance to calm your fears. I no longer possess any of my former abilities. I am harmless as, how do you say... a kitten up a tree."

"Well first of all, I don't believe I've ever said that, and secondly, arboreally challenged felines aside, that's hardly reassuring."

"Mr. Stark!"

Both Loki and Stark looked over towards the doorway to the other room where both boys were standing there.

Loki's gaze, however, was focused on Grace's wary expression.

A cold feeling slid down his spine.

How much had she overheard?

Stark stepped away from Loki while the boys rushed forward.

"Mr. Stark, it's such an honor to meet you, " Jack gushed.

"I imagine it would be."

"I just want you to know you're my idol. I think you're so cool and what you do is so awesome. I'm _okay_ with making stuff, a few of my own simple robots and machines, but I have a hard time finding materials in the junkyard and then again with power sources. Mom won't let me use gasoline," Jack said in one hurried breath.

"Yeah, I hear mothers tend to worry about that sort of stuff."

Grace calmly walked closer to the group, her brow still slightly furrowed, but she was obviously trying to stay polite.

"Hi," she said, looking over at Stark. "My name is Grace. This is Jack, Joey, and it looks like you've already met Loki."

"Oh yes," Stark replied, "we go way back."

Her eyebrows rose.

"Is that so?"

"Not particularly, no," Loki responded. "He's more acquainted with my brother. They had worked together on a rather important urban reclamation program a while ago."

Grace observed the strained look the two men exchanged before they both looked back at her.

"Small world," she muttered.

"More like small universe," Stark scoffed.

"Excuse me?"

"Enough of that," Loki said, speaking over whatever Stark was going to say. "Jack here is a bit of an inventor himself and is a rather devout fan of yours. This particular meeting was for his and Joey's benefit, was it not? Coincidental associations aside, let us focus on the boys."

"Yeah, let's," Grace conceded, but not without a glare in his direction.

"Could we get your autograph? Please?" Jack asked, Joey nodding beside him.

Stark glanced at the other adults for a moment as he realized they were just going to ignore the super awkward tension in the room.

Okay, sure. He could play along.

"Mom? Do you have anything he could sign?"

Grace pulled her gaze from Loki to reach into her purse, pulling out the pamphlet for the event.

"Will this do?"

Jack nodded and took the pamphlet before walking over to Stark, his eyes widening in awe as he stepped closer and closer.

"Is he all right?" Stark questioned, looking over the boy's head towards his mother.

"Yeah, he's just a really big fan."

"That must really piss you off," he commented to Loki.

"He is still young. I can only hope he will grow out of it."

"So you like engineering things?" Stark asked Jack while he wrote on the pamphlet.

"Yeah. I think I was going to win my science fair, but someone destroyed my project."

"It happens. You can't let it get to you. When someone tries to get you down, it only makes it that much more fun to rub it in their faces once you bounce back even higher than before," he said flippantly while handing the pamphlet back to the boy.

"I understand," Jack said with the utmost respect and sincerity, clutching the autograph to his chest.

The door opened and the large man stuck his head inside.

"Mr. Stark. They're ready for you."

"Gotchya."

The man disappeared again while Stark turned back towards Loki, giving him a long, measuring glare.

"Fury would try to flay me alive if he knew you were here and I didn't say anything."

Loki's gaze flickered towards Grace for only moment, his panic revealing itself in that split second before he returned Stark's glare.

"_But_," Stark continued, "you have a point. They don't take kindly to outsiders knowing their business so I'll hold off _for now_."

Loki nodded his head, releasing a breath he hadn't known he was holding.

"Thank you, Mr. Stark," Grace said, cutting in. "You've made Jack's year. I really appreciate it."

"You're welcome."

"Come on, boys. Mr. Stark is a very busy man."

"Thank you!" both boys said while they hurried after Loki who was already out the door.

"Oh, Miss," Stark said when she was the last one about to leave. With the boys with Loki, she paused and turned around, taking a step back into the room to meet Stark halfway.

"Yes?"

"Just out of curiosity, how exactly did you two crazy kids get together?"

Grace frowned slightly. "Loki and me? The kids had found him, unconscious and beat to hell. They brought him home, but I kicked him out. He got hit by a car and I found him at the hospital. He didn't have anywhere to go so I took him in again. He's been with us ever since."

Saying it out loud like that made it seem a whole helluva lot more odd than she felt it had been.

"And in all that time you haven't noticed anything strange about him?"

"Like what?"

"Just off the top of my head... like he doesn't get any references or colloquialisms, maybe doesn't understand regular run of the mill stuff or social interactions, or, you know, a vicious urge to cause mischief, mayhem, and murder..."

Clearing her throat, she glanced over at the doorway.

"I know he's done some very bad things in his past."

"He told you what he's done?" Stark asked, shocked. "Well I guess women _do_ marry convicts in prison so maybe this isn't so strange."

Grace glared at him, "But he said that he feels remorse for what he's done to his father and brother. I know it was horrible, but he seems like he's really changed."

"Wait, what? That's all he has told you."

"That's all there is to it... right?" she asked quietly, a painful shot of uncertainty flashing through her chest.

"Look, you seem like a smart enough girl, so if you ever really want to know the truth about the man you're supposedly in love with, give me a call," he said, offering her his card.

Grace stared at it for a moment, knowing that if she took it from him it would be a blatant disregard for the trust she had in Loki.

But with only a few seconds Tony Stark had revived all of the doubts Loki had only recently laid to rest.

Stark noticed her hesitancy and said, "I know he's pretty and seems charming, but he's the serpent to your Eve. You can't trust him, and deny it all you want, but I'm not telling you anything you haven't considered yourself."

She blinked a few times, looking up at the ceiling to try to keep herself together.

"If I take that card, it's the beginning of the end. I'd be tainting what we have."

"Well ask yourself this: who must you first be loyal to? Loki or your family?"

"He is my family."

"No, he's not. He can't be until you know _exactly_ who he is."

Taking a deep breath, she clenched her hands into fists, letting her nails cut into her palms while wishing that they had never come to this place, that she had never met Tony Stark.

But he was merely the messenger?

Why shoot him?

When she heard the boys' and Loki's voices coming back towards the doorway, she panicked. She quickly snatched the card from Stark's grasp and strode purposefully towards the exit, leaving the room without so much as a glance behind.

Once on the other side of the door, she was stopped short by Loki. She tilted her head back to stare up at him, seeing him glare down at her, his gaze on her hand which slipped into her pocket to hide the card.

"What took you so long?" he asked, cocking his head to the side while he scrutinized her.

She met his gaze directly, looking at him as if for the first time.

"It was nothing. No need for you to concern yourself with it."

They stared each other down for a moment before Joey groaned and complained that his feet were hurting.

"Time to go home, then," Grace announced calmly, leading them towards the exit.

Inside her pocket, however, her hand gripped the card as if her life depended on it.

Both adults were silent on the ride back, the boys chatted happily, talking about how amazing it had been to meet the Tony Stark. Jack noticed the strange tension between the two of them, and tried to cheerily talk, but eventually he realized that this was above his skills.

Something strange was going on between them.

And it seemed bad.

When they finally got back to the apartment, both boys ran upstairs to get ready for bed, despite the excitement still running through their veins. Silently, Loki followed them up the stairs while Grace lingered in the bookstore with Betty.

"So how was it?" the older woman asked.

"Good. A lot of stuff I didn't understand and by some divine intervention Jack got to meet Tony Stark and get his autograph."

"What?! Oh, that's great! He must have been ecstatic."

"He was," Grace replied, a tired smile at her lips.

But her eyes gave her away.

"What's wrong?" Betty questioned, honing in on her.

Grace was quiet for a beat before she hardened her exterior and turned towards the older woman.

"I need you to do me a favor tomorrow."

"Sure. Anything."

"I need you to take the boys out for the day. The whole day."

"Why? Is everything all right?"

She bit the inside of her lip and stepped closer to Betty while lowering her voice to say, "What do you honestly think of Loki?"

"I don't understand."

"What if… he's not who he says he is."

"Grace," she said patiently, "that man has never said who he is."

The ball on tension in Grace's gut tightened.

"I think I made a mistake bringing him here," she whispered brokenly. "Too many things don't add up."

"What brought this on? What happened?"

"He knows Tony Stark. Personally."

"How?"

"I don't know. It's all secretive and vague, ambiguous explanations."

"So your plan is to what? Corner and confront him? You really think that's wise?"

Grace took a deep breath. "If there's one thing I know for sure, it's that he wouldn't hurt me. I have to know the whole truth, Betty. This is tearing me apart."

Betty nodded solemnly.

"Okay, then. I'll take them after breakfast tomorrow and we'll be back late."

"Thank you," Grace muttered, moving over to hug the other woman. "Thank you so much."

Betty patted Grace on the back, but for once had absolutely no words of advice.

* * *

Loki's gaze was trained on Grace as soon as she entered the apartment. There was a stiff, coldness to her that he wasn't used to.

It could only mean one thing.

Something had happened.

Stark had said something.

With the boys in bed, he approached her once she exited the bathroom, dressed in her pajamas.

"You seem tense," he commented casually.

She breathed deeply for a moment before shrugging.

"I'm fine."

_Fine._

As if that would assuage his suspicions.

He followed her into the bedroom where she sat on the bed.

"What did he say to you?"

She glanced up at him, startled by the blunt question, but at least she didn't try to feign ignorance by asking who he meant.

"Can we talk about this tomorrow?"

Loki sighed and stepped closer to her, sinking to his knees before her. Placing one hand on her thigh, he reached up with the other one to cup her face, feeling only slightly relieved when she didn't shy away from his touch.

Although she was right here before him, with him caressing her cheek, it felt as if she was worlds away.

He hated it.

He hated feeling distant from her.

"Grace," he whispered, "I know not what distrust he instilled in you, but I-… I can't lose you."

That quiet, pained desperation filled his dark eyes, his expression showing what was in his heart, and Grace couldn't stop the tears from welling in her own eyes.

Goddammit, she loved him.

With everything she had she loved him, but why did it feel like it was never enough.

Why did the world keep getting between them?

Why did his lies keep tearing her from him?

They could both feel it. The dark, ominous foreboding. Like the stillness before a storm. The weightless floating before the plummet.

Neither could understand it, nor rationalize it but it was there.

"Please," she begged, "please let's just talk about it tomorrow."

Loki felt nauseated, his hand slipping around to the back of her head, fingers sliding through the long tresses that he adored so much.

Closing his eyes, he tugged on her, pulling her closer until her forehead pressed to his.

He was the God of Lies, ironic since he absolutely abhorred being deceived, but now he found he needed it.

Craved it just to get through the next breath.

"Just tell me everything is going to be all right," he murmured hopelessly. "Please. I need to hear you say it."

Grace pulled back far enough to press a gentle, lingering kiss of his forehead, her arms wrapping around him and hugging him to her. She rested her chin on top of his head, his face pressed against the curve of her throat. Feeling him grip her almost violently with need, she quelled the sob rising up within her.

"Don't worry," she soothed, her voice cracking as she gathered him to her even more. "Everything is going to be okay." She kissed the top of his head as the tears finally escaped to stream down her cheeks. "I promise. Everything is going to be okay."

And it would be.

For one more night, they could live the lie.

For only one more night.

* * *

A cloaked figure entered the darkened hall.

What was usually bright with golden hues was dimmed in solitude.

The secluded king sat on the throne, head bowed in tired sorrow.

As the enigmatic being drifted silently towards the dais, the king made no move to acknowledge its presence, despite knowing its nearness.

"It is time," a tortured, mangled voice whispered in the silent hall.

The Allfather let out a breath.

Heimdall had kept him up to date on Loki's situation, his love and adoration for the mortal known as Grace Stewart. His need for her was at its zenith while the world around them threatened their bond.

Odin sat back, looking over at the tall creature that seemed to hover above the floor.

The dark magic radiated from its core, but Odin knew it could be trusted.

It was one of the few beings in the universe that could manage the task that the Allfather had set upon it.

It was with a heavy heart that Odin did what he needed to do, but he had to remember.

Loki's actions were inexcusable; his crimes, heinous. So many were forced to mourn the loss of loved ones, all because of his selfish deeds.

Pain of the body would never make him understand.

No. Loki had left Odin no other choice.

"Then do your duty," he ordered.

The figure bowed slightly before melding into the shadows as it disappeared entirely.

Sent off to teach Loki a lesson he would never forget.

* * *

_A/N pt 2: Yeah, I know I kind of left another cliffhanger. Whoops. Anyway, thanks for the reviews! I love reading them and it really helps keeping my focused on writing the next update. Keep the reviews coming! Please!_


	25. Chapter 23: And We All Fall Down

_Disclaimer: Not mine._

_A/N 1: Yeah, another short one, but what are you going to do? I always feel hopeless when it comes to really emotional scenes, but I tried my best to convey what I pictured. Enjoy!_

* * *

The dark sky overhead seemed like an omen. It was early afternoon, yet it seemed almost like dusk.

How appropriate.

Loki gazed out the bedroom window, staring out at the bustling street, the lives being lived. A part of him hated how they could all go on with their lives while his seemed on the cusp of ending.

Or maybe he was just being dramatic.

Grace was down in the bookstore sending the boys off with Betty for the day.

Where they went, he did not know.

The sick weight in his stomach hadn't dissipated and had kept him up the entire night.

Those few precious hours he had been able to spend with her in his arms.

It wasn't enough.

Resting his weight against the wall, he sighed.

Maybe he was being foolish for believing that his deception could last forever, but how exactly was he supposed to have told her the truth? He knew she deserved to hear it, but he just couldn't bring himself to do it. Almost as if it was a physical impossibility.

Or maybe he was just lying to himself.

Regardless, he remembered the last words that his father had spoken to him.

_'Find someone to care for you, Loki. Someone to stand by your side and help you. Find them without lying to them, deceiving them. Care for them as they care for you, and your powers will return to you.'_

Accepting that he would rather be on Midgard, with this family, instead of pursuing his supposed birthright had gained him the return of his voice, but nothing more.

Perhaps if he told her the truth, all of his abilities would return, but for what?

What was strength if he had nothing to fight for? Because she was assuredly leave him if she knew of his past.

No.

They had come too far, gone through too much to just let it fall apart.

Grace may be justified in demanding the truth, but that didn't mean she would get it from him.

He'd rather her think him a liar than a murderer.

All he could do now was hope that her heart overpowered her reason.

He didn't know what would happen if it lost.

* * *

Grace turned the lock on the door to the bookstore before flipping the sign to CLOSED.

The whole night, all she had been able to think about was the numerous situations in which Loki had been strange.

From the moment the boys found him, being unable to speak or write, then miraculously regaining said abilities.

Even his way of speaking.

His confusion with everyday objects.

Not understanding certain phrases.

His discomfort around babies.

His ignorance about weddings.

How had she ignored so much?

Was she really that gullible?

Was she really that stupid?

Going up the stairs, she tried to stop her hands from trembling. She didn't know what would come from this discussion that they were about to have, but her nerves were certainly on edge because of it.

The apartment seemed empty when she entered it, moving through the rooms towards where she knew Loki would be.

She paused on the other side of the door and took a deep breath before placing her hand on the knob and turning.

Glancing up, she saw Loki turn to look at her as she entered the room and shut the door behind her.

"Was that truly necessary?" he asked, leaning back against the wall.

Grace mirrored his position against the door, the entire room separating them.

"Sending the boys out?"

"Yes. I wonder what Stark could have possibly said to make you think I would harm them."

A hurt look flashed over her face as she said, "I don't think that. I don't want them to overhear anything, so I figured this would be the best way to avoid that. You wouldn't hurt them. I know that."

He nodded, relieved that she understood that at least.

"But," she continued, her tense gaze still focused on him, "that's about the only think I do know."

Loki frowned. "That's not true. I've told you before that you know the important things, and-"

"How long have you been lying to me?" she said, cutting him off. "Because it seems like its been since day one."

"When you brought me home from the hospital you told me that I could keep that story to myself, that I could keep my past behind me. What happened to that? You knew I did not want to speak of it when you brought me into your bed, so do not try to use that as an excuse."

Grace grit her teeth for a moment, clenching her fists at her side as she stood away from the wall.

"You're unbelievable. How could you say it like that? I gave you something I have _never_ given anyone. I let you in and you just..." Shaking her head, she willed the tears from her eyes as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"What? Supported you? Comforted you? Been there for you when no one else was? Because that is how I see our relationship."

"You've been putting me through hell, Loki. Looking back, I'm disgusted with myself for just blindly following you," she replied sharply, cutting him to the core.

"I can't listen to this," he growled and turned away from her.

"You need to hear this!"

"Fine!" he spat, spinning back to face her. "Tell me how _horrible_ I've been to you, how I've _used_ and _abused_ you. Tell me what I need to do to convince you that I belong here, because, for me, it is as if the whole world fades away and all there is is you. I have given you _everything_ that I have, Grace. I would do _anything_ for you."

"You lied to me," she whispered. "I don't even know who you are anymore, and there's nothing you can say that is going to just magically fix this."

"I know that. I do not expect you to just move on from this, but at least let me plead my case," he urged.

"Fine. Go ahead."

Loki breathed deeply, trying to keep the bad situation from spinning out of control.

"I did not lie to you about my youth. For so long, I have felt like an outsider to my own existence, and, therefore I was always suspicious of others, held them at a distance. I was lonely and full of spite, until I met you. You have shown me such warmth and happiness, and I know you despise me for keeping so much from you, but it is for the best. You would not understand what I've done or my reasons for it, so I am begging you. Just let it go. It is over. Please, Grace."

He looked so earnest, so open to her, but that only worked to hurt her more, her faith in him was so shattered.

"I _can't_," she whispered, biting her lip as she quietly began to cry, and hating herself for doing so.

Pain knifed through his chest, panic caused his throat to tighten while his hands trembled with the urge to grab her and shake her.

Make her understand.

"I never hurt you," he said hollowly.

"Can't you see this is killing me? You're tearing me apart, Loki. You keep lying to me!"

"No!"

"Yes! I can't trust you! How am I supposed to be with you if I can't believe a word out of your mouth?!" she screamed.

"What do you want me to do?" he asked desperately, closing in on her until he had backed her up against the door.

"Loki," she said nervously, the nearly hysterical look in his green eyes was something she had never seen in him before.

"No! Tell me what to do. Please, Grace, I-" he faltered for a moment, trying to keep himself from losing it completely. "I _love_ you."

She sobbed, closing her eyes as her heart broke.

"You can't say that to me. Not now. Not after this. Not when I-"

Loki watched her weep, her words unlocking a realization from his consciousness.

"You don't love me anymore, do you?" he breathed, feeling an aching emptiness within his chest.

She licked her dry lips before steeling herself.

She needed to do this.

No matter what.

It would kill her, but it was necessary.

Raising her gaze, she looked into his heart-wrenching gaze.

"It doesn't matter what I feel," she replied weakly.

She could see his body practically vibrating with tension as he whirled away from her, running his fingers through his hair and pacing for a moment before glaring back at her.

"Then look me in the eye and tell me. Tell me that you're not in love with me!"

She nearly broke, but she wrapped her arms around herself, squeezing tightly and forcing herself to look at him.

"Is that what you need to hear? Fine." She took a deep breath. "I don't love you."

Loki stared at her, unable to move, unable to speak. The world around him seemed to fade out of existence while he was stuck in this horrible moment, those horrible words echoing in his mind.

Grace bit back her tears at the sight of him breaking, falling apart beneath the weight of her words.

No.

She couldn't watch this. She'd cave if she did.

Reaching behind her, she grasped the doorknob and pulled the door open, moving to go through it. Seeing her try to flee, however, woke Loki from his stupor.

"No," he ordered, hurrying towards her, his hand reaching out to grip her upper arm and yanking her back towards him. "You're lying. A person cannot just wake up and stop loving someone. You- I- Grace, you can't-"

He could hear her crying as she wrenched her arm from his grasp and moved towards the door again.

"Don't walk away from me!" he shouted.

She tried to open the door to leave the apartment, but he was right behind her, shoving it closed again before pushing her back up against it.

"Loki, let me go," she wept.

"No! I will do anything, Grace. Please," he begged his hands raising to cup her face.

"I can't do this anymore. I'm so sorry, Loki," she sobbed, feeling his thumbs gently wipe the tears from her cheeks. "I wish I could just forget about all the hardships and just be with you, but I can't. You lied to me, and you just keep lying. When does it stop? God, I've been such a fool. I thought if I ignore it or joke about it, then it doesn't matter, but it does. The problem didn't go away, it just kept growing and now I can barely see the good in us. All you do is hurt me. Every word cuts deep because I don't know what is sincere or what's not."

"You know the important things," he repeated.

Grace watched as tears welled around his emerald eyes, feeling as if something sharp stabbed her in the chest. "You keep saying that, but you don't get it, do you? It's all important. From the big picture to the smallest detail, it's all important because that is what love is. It's unconditional and all encompassing. Goddammit!" she shrieked, shoving him away from her. "I would fight like hell for you. I would go to hell and back if you asked me to, but you _just_ _won't_ _talk_ _to_ _me_!"

Loki gazed brokenly at her through tear-filled eyes, his lips parted, but no words passed them. His head pounded, his body felt weak while he haggardly pulled air into his aching lungs.

Everything hurt, his entire being felt empty and dead inside.

Grace panted, trying to inhale while she was wracked with sadness. Nothing had ever hurt her like this. Nothing.

She felt totally and completely eviscerated.

Clearing her throat, she forced herself to straighten and move from the door.

"It doesn't matter now. It's too late. I'm _done_ feeling like this, so I am going up to the roof to get some air," she breathed. "Please don't be here when I get back."

His gaze flickered over and met hers, his brow furrowed and eyes flashed with betrayal, but he still didn't say anything.

Grace nodded and opened the door, a breathless pain shot through her and she almost felt like she was going to be sick, but she stood tall.

With one last look, she took him in from head to toe.

"Goodbye, Loki," she whispered.

Then walked out.

* * *

How did everything go so wrong?

It wasn't supposed to end this way?

They were supposed to be happy. He embraced mortal life, was welcomed into this family; this was never supposed to happen.

He couldn't breathe.

He couldn't moved.

He couldn't fucking think.

Nothing, in all his years, had prepared him for this.

With no warning at all, his knees buckled, sending him to the ground. Raising his hands, he buried his face into his palms as he knelt on the floor.

What was he supposed to do now?

Where was he going to go?

Did it matter?

Everything that was important to him was gone.

Grace. Jack. Joey.

Thor. Mother. Father.

Both families left him.

He was truly and completely alone.

So consumed was he with his heartache, he never noticed the black shape manifesting behind him.

Silently, the shadows converged and warped themselves until a solid, ominous creature loomed over him. A decrepit, disfigured hand reached forward towards the head of the troubled man.

Loki had barely felt the touch of something against the base of his head before a blinding pain reverberated inside his skull.

And then all he knew was darkness.

* * *

Tears blinded Grace's vision, causing her to stumble and collapse onto the stairs, her shins cracking against the edge of the steps. Her hands managed to catch herself, but all she did was slowly lower her body and turn so she sat there, curled against the wall.

Openly, she wept.

God help her, but she loved him. With all her heart, she loved him.

Telling him differently was the hardest thing she had to do.

Leaving him was nearly impossible.

It wasn't fair. None of this was fair.

Why couldn't he just open up to her?

What could possibly be so bad?

Why would he do this to them?

How could be put her through this?

He was supposed to love her, but why do this to her?

Shaking her head to try to clear it, she wiped the tears from her cheeks.

It had to be this way, though. She couldn't keep accepting the fact that he was lying to her. It gnawed at her conscience, festered in her heart.

He didn't trust her with his past, so how could she trust him with her future?

She did the right thing.

Bringing her legs up, she wrapped her arms around them, tucking her head down, her tears that still streamed down her face dampened the fabric stretched tightly over her knees.

_She did the right thing._

But then why did she feel so bad?

How could the right thing cause her so much pain?

Sending him away had seemed like the best option, but now that she had done so, it felt as if the world was imploding on her.

Like a part of her died.

Oh God, she really sent him away.

What if she never saw him again?

What if something happened to him and he never knew how she actually felt?

The boys never got to say goodbye.

She robbed them of a father.

She had said she would have fought for him, but all she did was punish him for deceiving her and then toss him aside.

She didn't fight.

She gave up.

And now he was leaving.

**_No!_**

"Loki!" she shouted, forcing her bruised legs to work as she got to her feet. "_Loki!_"

Grace pushed herself off the stairs and sprinted down the hallway towards the apartment. She hadn't heard him walk out yet; he had to still be inside.

"Loki! Wait!" she called out, opening the door and rushing into the apartment.

He wasn't where she left him in the living room.

Brow furrowing, she hurried into the kitchen, only to find it empty.

"Loki! I'm sorry! I overreacted, please! I didn't mean what I said!"

She checked the boys' room and the bathroom, but they, too, were empty.

All that was left was her bedroom.

He had to be there.

"I'm so sorry," she said, moving further down the hall.

Opening the door to her bedroom, she stepped inside while saying, "I need you to know that I love you, too."

But her words were useless.

The room was empty.

Loki was gone, and all she was left with was sorrow and regret.

* * *

In the darkest depths of the keep, the Allfather stood outside of the only occupied cell. Dark magic and unyielding bars insured the prisoner would never be able to fight his way out.

Not that he was in a position to do so, anyway.

Odin gazed through the bars as his youngest, seeing the exiled prince prone on the elevated, solid bed. His eyes were closed as he was left drifting in a deep hypnosis brought on by a curse.

The cloaked menace moved around him inside the cell as it made sure Loki was prepared for what would follow.

"You are certain this will work?" Odin asked.

The being did not look over towards the king, instead it took its position by the captive's head. It's hands stretched out so that it could place its cool, gray fingertips against Loki's pale skin and pitch black hair.

"I will control his mind," the thing spoke in its blasphemous voice. "His body will bear the scars of whatever nightmares I instill in his head. Whatever I force him to experience in his mind will be his reality when he awakens."

The Allfather's gaze returned to observing his son.

No one knew of what was about the transpire.

Not his wife.

Not Thor.

They would soon find out that Loki had been retrieved from Midgard, but they will both be forbidden from seeing him.

In order for this to work, Loki had to be isolated.

"Then begin," he ordered coldly.

The creature's fingertips glowed a vibrant blue, and deep within the dream world of Loki's mind, the nightmare began.

* * *

_A/N 2: Does this qualify as another cliffhanger? I don't know. Anyway, thanks for all the reviews! Even if the majority of them have you yelling at me for tormenting my characters, but that's fun too! I absolutely love reading what you guys think about this story. It's the main reason why I'm forcing myself to update so quickly, so please help me help you!_


	26. Chapter 24: The Darkness of Dreams

_Disclaimer: Not mine._

_Warning: It's sort of another sad one... obviously._

* * *

His head throbbed, the sound of his heart beating in his ears.

Groaning, Loki shifted and tried to bring his hand up to the back of his head, but was not able to do so.

He couldn't move.

Forcing his eyes to open, he saw his lap. His neck ached from drooping forward, and he winced as he gingerly straightened it.

What happened?

He remembered Grace breaking his heart, leaving him, and then pain.

Blinking a few times, his vision cleared and he looked down at his arms, noticing the bindings around them as well as feeling that his legs were in the same condition. Someone had obviously tied him to one of the kitchen chairs, and judging from the darkness surrounding him, he must have been out for a few hours

He curled his hands into fists and pulled, but the strength of his restraints were too much to overcome.

Had someone actually managed to get the drop on him?

Where could they have come from?

A whimper drew his attention and he finally looked up to take in his whereabouts. He was still in the apartment and sitting across from him was Grace, tied to a chair like he was, but already sporting a split lip from where someone had hit her.

Panic tightened his stomach as he sat up a little straighter. They were alone, but he knew whoever did this wouldn't be gone for long.

"Grace," he whispered, trying to at least seem calm.

Her eyes fluttered while her head rocked to the side.

"Grace. Open your eyes."

She moaned quietly before her eyes finally opened. Her brow furrowed for a moment before she started, trying to get up from the chair.

When her gaze finally met his, his heart wrenched at the terrified confusion in her eyes.

"Loki?" she whimpered softly. "What's going on?"

"I do not know," he replied, looking around the apartment again. "Did you see who did this?"

She shook her head before noticing the clock.

Tears came to her eyes as she let out a choked noise.

"Loki, it's almost seven o'clock."

"Is that bad?"

"The boys are coming back at seven."

He tried to swallow, but his throat was too dry.

"Grace," he whispered, "I am so sorry."

"For what?"

"For whatever is going to happen."

She paused, considering him for a moment.

"Did you bring this on us?"

His silence was answer enough.

"How could you?" she asked, betrayal laced within her tone. "Who is doing this?"

"I do not know."

"How do you not know?"

"I have a lot of enemies, Grace. I did not believe that any of them knew of my location."

"What's going to happen?" she asked, her voice rising with panic.

This time, Loki merely shook his head, watching as Grace began to cry silently.

Fisting his hands again, he tried to pull free from the ropes, feeling it cut into his skin, but never relenting. If only he had his abilities.

None of this would have happened if he had his abilities.

No simple rope would have been able to hold him.

No one would have been able to sneak up on him.

He heard the door open behind him, but from his position he could not see who it was. Grace, however, could and she visibly paled.

"It took us a long time to find you," an only somewhat familiar voice said, walking towards them. "You know, when you make a promise to people, it isn't very nice to break it."

The man finally came around into Loki's field of vision, but even the sight of him couldn't shake a memory loose.

"Do I know you?" Loki questioned.

"Yes, they call me Wallace, although I am not shocked that you do not remember. You made a lot of enemies during your quest to get that cube, and I realize I most likely do not even break the Top 5. No matter. I am the one that found you. Before, you were an almighty god, but now you are merely a stay at home dad with a weakness so blatantly obvious it almost takes the fun out of it. Hardly a challenge."

Loki forced himself to keep his gaze from Grace.

"And what, precisely, was my crime? Breaking a promise? Seems a bit juvenile if you ask me."

"You promised the downfall of S.H.I.E.L.D. You promised power and wealth. My men died for you on that monstrosity of a ship. They slaved for you in those tunnels, and once you failed, they were rounded up and thrown into a cell to die."

"A price they must have been aware of before they signed on with my crusade. If they were more skilled, perhaps they would not have perished. If they did not want to work they could have left, and if they were stealthier perhaps they could have slipped away. All eyes were on me! I was not aware it was my duty to take your mercenaries by the hand and lead them from the carnage like children!"

The man rushed forward and punched Loki across the face. He could hear Grace shout at Wallace, pleading him to leave Loki alone. He felt blood fill his mouth as more hits landed against him before the man took a step back, furious.

"My men died, and you got this?! No. That does not work for me. Everyone, on both sides of that fight, lost friends and people they cared about. Everyone, but _you_. I'm here to rectify that. I'm here to teach you what it's like to have someone you care about ripped away from you because of someone else's need for vengeance."

Loki spat the blood onto the floor before looking up at the man in front of him.

"And will that please you? Hurting innocent women and children? Surely there is some way that I could pay my debt without their blood on your hands."

"Your silver tongue is what got you into this mess. Do you really think it will get you out?"

Wallace's phone rang in his pocket. After he dug it out, he looked at the i.d. and grinned maliciously before walking out of the apartment to answer it.

"Loki," Grace whispered. "What was he talking about? What's going on?"

"I did not want you to find out about this," he confessed," but it seems that you will anyway. I would rather you hear it from me than him."

"And this is what you've been hiding from me?" she asked while shifting her limbs against her restraints.

"Yes."

"It's really bad, isn't it?"

"What gave it away?" he snapped. "My near absolute silence about it or the fact that we're currently bound because of it?"

"You're really going to give me that right now?!"

"No," he sighed, hanging his head. "Do you remember our conversation about what occurred in New York?"

Her brow furrowed while she nodded, immediately not liking where this was going.

"And you mentioned how you do not know who led the attack?"

"Yes."

He took a deep breath and met her questioning gaze with a regretful expression.

"No," she whispered with a shake of her head. "_No_."

"I regret my actions, Grace. I regret so much."

"You? You led those things? Why? How?" she sputtered.

"I made a deal. I would retrieve an object for their allegiance to me in my crusade," he replied, straining to sound calm.

"Crusade for what?!" she gasped, tears falling from her eyes again. "Killing us all?!"

"No!" he urged, then took a deep breath and swallowed another mouthful of blood. "No. I could explain my reasoning to you, but in all honesty, I had become unhinged due to my own delusions. It shames me to the point where I can barely speak of what I have done, especially if I am confessing to you. Believe me when I say that it burns me that you will see me as a monster."

"_You are a monster!_"

He reared back as if he had received another blow to the head.

"Grace, please, do not say that to me," he begged.

Her watery, dark eyes glared at him with such disdain until she gasped as the pieces clicked together.

"You're one of them, aren't you? Those things. That's why you're so strange."

Her switch in direction shocked him, but he still remained honest.

"I am not like them. I am of Asgard, the place I once mentioned to you-"

"You're a _fucking_ alien, Loki! You're the same as them!"

"No! You don't understand!"

"I don't want to understand! Oh God, I actually slept with you," she muttered, paling as she sagged against the restraints. "Oh _God_, I can't believe this."

"All I have _ever_ been is good to you," he whispered sorrowfully yet vehemently.

"All you've ever done is lie to me," she wept. "I thought I hated myself for going to that party and letting myself get raped, but with you... this is so much worse."

He watched as Grace squeezed her eyes shut, trying to curl into herself despite the ropes.

He knew she'd take it badly, but a small part of him had always hoped that she'd forgive him, find some way to look past his sins and see his virtues.

Not this, though. Not this total contempt and revulsion.

But now was not the time to mourn.

"Grace," he said sternly, trying to push all of the hurt into the deepest part of himself. "I know you hate me, but when that man returns, with him, he will bring only more pain. I am without all of my capabilities, so I cannot free us."

She didn't even acknowledge him.

Gritting his teeth, he once again tried to free his hands, but he only wore the skin from his wrists, causing them to bleed.

Then, the door opened, and Wallace entered again.

The man glanced from captive to captive.

"It seems like you told her," he commented.

Loki narrowed his eyes at the man, but he was ignored as Wallace crouched down next to Grace, placing one hand on her thigh and the other on her shoulder.

"So now you understand why we're here."

It took her a moment to collect herself before she could look at him.

"We're here because he failed us, and we suffered for it. He wronged us, so I'm here to even things out. Unfortunately for you," he sighed, raising his hand from her shoulder to run his fingers through her hair, "you're the price he'll have to pay."

Tears continued to spill down her cheeks while she trembled.

"Now, now. Don't cry," he cooed cruelly. His hand began to caress the length of her thigh while the other gently wiped the tears from her face.

"Let her go!" Loki spat, pulling against the ropes.

Wallace's thumb swiped across her cheek and along her jaw.

"I got to hand it to you, Loki. She's quite beautiful," he murmured.

Grace shuddered and tried to pull away, but the grip on her only tightened and caused her to whimper.

"Leave her out of this!"

Wallace stood and finally took his hands off of her as he turned to face Loki.

"You know," Wallace said, "when I was a child, I loved scary movies. Not the gory slasher movies, though, that did not bother me. I was the fan of the suspense. What evil lurked just out of sight, what went bump in the night, that sort of thing. It is because of those movies that I developed a sort of hypothesis. The most frightening sense, I believe, is hearing. Seeing evil grounds you, it's tangible and a problem you can face head on, while hearing evil, listening to it, it's ephemeral. You cannot fight it, you cannot fix it. It is merely a bad dream from which one cannot escape."

"And _why_ are you forcing this anecdotal monologue on me?" Loki growled.

"Because we're going to test my hypothesis," he said before turning towards the door and shouting two other men's names. "Bring them in."

Two more large men entered the room, one carried a still wriggling and fighting Joey while the other dragged a restrained Jack beside him.

"Let him go! Don't hurt him!" Jack shrieked, crying as he watched Joey. When he noticed his mother, however, he sobbed, trying to get to her. "Mom!"

Grace fought against her bonds with renewed fervor, calling out to the boys as they were led into the master bedroom.

"Please," Grace begged, turning to Wallace, "Please don't hurt them. I'll do anything. I swear it."

Wallace turned to Loki and said, "See what you've done. Oh, don't look so shocked. You must have known this was coming eventually."

He walked behind Grace and gripped the chair.

"So let the experiment begin. Let's see if hearing their agony will be worse then seeing it," he said, tipped the chair onto its back legs before dragging it into the bedroom.

Loki trembled. Never before had he been so absolutely terrified.

This was bad. If they were in the room there was a small chance he could talk his way out of this, even anger them to the point of turning on him and sparing Grace and the boys.

How was he supposed to help them now?

He felt like he couldn't breathe, the walls were closing in on him, and he was so fucking powerless.

Grace's loud, piercing scream rang through the apartment, stilling Loki's heart for a moment before it raced even faster in his chest, as if it would burst through his ribcage.

Moments later, he could hear the boys' cries, so full of fear.

Grace pleaded with her captives, her voice shaking with desperation.

The men laughed.

Dark blood dripped from Loki's wrists as he tried to get free, his panic-induced sweat stinging the wounds.

Jack cried out in pain; Loki could hear someone getting struck, the sound of something cracking loudly against flesh.

His ears buzzed at the volume of the cries and screams, at the boys' futile calls for Loki to help them.

To save them.

His mind raced with what could be happening in that room, what cruelties were being taken out on them, his own malicious imagination working against him. Minutes upon minutes passed without reprieve, but all sense of time seemed to evaporate in the fact of such tortured screams.

Desperation gripped his heart and clawed at his throat.

If he had had anything in his stomach, he would have vomited, but all he could do was gag, not even feeling the ropes dig deeper into his flesh as he writhed in the chair in a vain attempt to get free.

Loki felt as if he was losing his mind.

Clenching his eyes tightly shut, he did something he hadn't done in a very long time.

He prayed.

"Odin, please," he whispered frantically, tears escaping the corners of his eyes. "Take my life if you must, but I am begging you with all that I have, _please save them!_ They are innocent. They have no part of this, no quarrel with these people," he said, unknowingly reciting a phrase he had once so malevolently mocked.

'_No! No! Please, no!'_

A part of him tried to block out Grace's screams, but he knew he had to listen to them.

If she was subjected to this, he would have to listen.

"Father, please… _**PLEASE**!_"

The sound of two gunshots rang through the apartment, Grace's voice rasped at the strength of her shrieking sobs, her denial of what happened.

She called the boys' names, but there was only silence.

A sick feeling twisted inside of Loki, a void opening inside of him with the knowledge of what must have happened.

They couldn't have... could they?

One of the men shouted for Grace to be silent, but she was ignorant to everything but her pain.

The pain of a parent losing a child.

The man shouted again, angrier.

Still, she did not listen.

Her screams raised in pitch as Loki heard violent movement from inside the room, someone slammed against the wall.

A fist landing against a body.

Tears.

Fabric ripping.

Something heavy being tossed against a wall.

Glass breaking.

More screams; violent, painful screams.

Loki trembled, feeling the last grip of his sanity being slowly torn from his mind.

Grace's torment was so overpowering, he did not even heed the sound of thunder cracking loudly across the sky.

Loki could almost picture his control in his mind, a piece of string being pulled tighter and tighter, each scream causing it to strain a little bit more, the thin threads slowly unraveling as the pressure increased.

As each thread broke, he felt himself disconnecting, knowing that there was no way out.

No way to save her.

He might as well have killed them himself.

A loud crash erupted from the bedroom, followed by the men shouting loudly, more things breaking. For a moment there was silence before Grace let out a loud gasp. Almost immediately after, there was another struggle before three distinct thumps were heard.

Silence permeated the apartment and Loki found that he could not breathe, his eyes riveted to the hallway, watching for someone to emerge.

When his own brother was revealed, all Loki could do for a moment was stare in shock.

Thor, however, was all business as he quickly came forward.

"We must leave quickly, brother," he said gruffly.

His large hands gripped the restraints and yanked, ripping them apart easily.

The blood easily flowed from the wounds, but Loki paid them no mind. As soon as he was free, he pushed past his brother, stumbling on surprisingly weak legs.

"Loki!" Thor scolded, turning after him.

Loki pressed his hand against the wall for support as he walked down the hall, his steps slowing as he approached the now eerily silent room.

"Did you save her?" he whispered.

Thor was quiet as he stood behind him.

"I was too late."

"No," Loki muttered, shaking his head, his vision blurring with tears. He lunged for the door, shoving it open so roughly he practically fell into the room.

With one mere glance, the string snapped.

Empty eyes stared unseeingly at the ceiling, blood smeared against paling flesh.

He fell to his knees beside her, his hands reaching out to grip her shoulder and cup the back of her head.

"Grace? _Grace?!_" he shouted, shaking her slightly.

"Loki, I am sorry."

"Use the telephone. Call for help. They have healers that will fix her!"

"Brother, she is gone."

"No! Call them! _They will fix her! They must!_" he urged before turning back towards the body. "It will be okay. You'll be okay."

Loki lifted her, bringing her closer to him while he gently brushed her hair from her face.

"You'll be okay, Grace," he soothed shakily. "Everything will be fine." He blinked as he noticed her torn and disheveled clothing. Turning, he pulled the sheet off the bed and tenderly wrapped it around her. "There. That's better."

"Loki," Thor said, stepping forward to grip him.

Loki dodged the move, glaring up at him with the utmost animosity.

"Don't touch me! I can't just leave her here!"

"She is dead, Loki. She is not coming back. Look at her!"

Loki's anger slowly ebbed away, misery filling his features as he gazed down at her.

She really was gone.

He was too late.

Nothing would bring her back to him.

All that was left was a body.

Closing his eyes, he pulled her back against him, resting his forehead to hers.

"I am so sorry," he whispered to her, the warm tears dripping onto her cooling skin. "It wasn't supposed to be this way. You were supposed to be happy and grow old, and not- _I am so sorry_."

Lifting his head, he pressed a soft kiss to her forehead before gently closing her eyes.

"I love you."

Sirens rang out in the distance and Thor moved forward again.

"Loki! We must leave."

"No!" he cried, holding onto her still.

"You must leave her behind. I am sorry, but the authorities cannot find you here!"

Thor grabbed Loki's arms, wrestling him away from the body.

"Thor, please. Don't do this! No! **_Grace!_**"

Loki fought desperately to keep Grace in his arms, but he was no match for Thor's strength. His brother wrenched him away from her, but still Loki frantically tried to free himself. His gaze was locked onto her body. So much so that he never even saw Thor's fist coming.

And for the second time that day, he was forced to submit to the darkness.

* * *

The blue slowly faded away.

The creature removed its hands from the prince's head. Blood dripped onto the floor from the wounds on his wrists and face; bruises marred the alabaster skin.

But still, he slept.

The being turned to face the King.

"It is done."

* * *

_A/N: So less cliffhanger-y. I really struggled with this chapter. I had the goal of this bad stuff happening, but couldn't bring myself to write a really explicit torture scene, since it wouldn't really fit with the overall feel of the story. I've written torture scenes before and I'm surprisingly good at it, but this time I tried to make it more from Loki's perspective without me having to explain how these guys were tormenting Grace and the boys. I don't know. I tried, but think I came up a bit short with it. I really would like to know what you all think. _

_And for those that reviewed but I never got around to replying: Thank you! _


	27. Chapter 25: The Truth Is Out There

_Disclaimer: Especially not mine._

_A/N 1: It's a little long, and a bit choppy, so bear with me._

* * *

Grace quietly sat, curled onto the couch, her hands occasionally swiping at the tears that fell from her eyes.

He was gone.

He was really gone.

She just threw him out as if he was trash.

But he wasn't.

He was the man she was in love with.

Goddamn, she was such an idiot.

Was it that bad that she wanted an open and honest relationship with him?

Was that so ridiculous?

Glancing at the clock, she noticed that the boys would be home soon. With a sigh, she got to her feet and went into the bathroom to wash her face.

She did not want the boys to see her like this, even though they might be able to tell.

After a few minutes of holding a cool washcloth to her face, she heard the front door opening and the boys rushing through the living room. She tossed the washcloth over the faucet and went out to meet them, pasting a smile to her face as she did so.

"Mom!" Jack shouted, bounding over to her. "Guess where we went!"

"Where?"

"Navy Pier! Oh it was so cool. We went on the Ferris Wheel and then on a boat!"

"We got ice cream!" Joey added excitedly.

"You did? That's great."

"Where's Loki?" Jack asked, looking around the apartment.

Grace had to force herself to remain strong.

"Come sit down," she said while herding them to the couch. Once they were seated, she stood before them and took a deep breath. "Now, I know that you two were very attached to Loki, but unfortunately, he won't be around anymore."

Both boys stared at her in confusion, as if waiting for the punch line or something.

"Why?" Joey asked.

"There were some issues that could not be resolved between the two of us."

"Why?"

"Because we had different views of our relationship."

"Why?"

She grit her teeth, anger rising within her.

"Where's he going to go?" Jack questioned.

And just like that, she deflated again.

"I don't know."

"Will I ever see him again?"

Grace rubbed her forehead, her temples aching. "I don't know."

"Do you care?" Jack accused.

She dropped her hand.

"Of course I care."

"But not enough to let him stay here," he argued.

"It's complicated, Jack. There were extenuating circumstances."

"Like what?"

"You wouldn't understand."

"So I can't know anything about my father because I can't understand, and now I can't know what happened to Loki either?"

"That's different."

"No, it's not! You just don't want me to have a dad."

"Loki wasn't your father, Jack. I know you were attached to him, and it kills me that you're hurt by him leaving, but that's what happened."

"But he didn't leave, did he? Loki wouldn't do that to us."

"You made him go!" Joey shouted angrily.

"It's for the best," she tried to urge, lying to herself just as much as to them.

"Says who?"

"It does not matter. He's gone, Jack. You don't have to like it, but you have to accept it. Both of you do."

Joey glared at her with tears in his eyes before he spat, "I hate you!" and ran off into his bedroom.

Grace kept her face blank, trying not to react to the young one's ire while she looked at her son.

"What about you?" she asked quietly. "Do you hate me too?"

Jack stared at her for a long moment, the fire in his gaze dampening to quiet grief.

Without a word, he got up and followed Joey into the room, shutting the door behind him.

Grace felt the prick of tears again. She inhaled deeply, her eyes focusing on the ceiling while she blinked, her teeth biting into the inside of her lip.

They just needed time.

That's all.

They all just needed time.

* * *

Days passed, and then a week and still, the boys were cold to her.

Guilt ate away at her, robbing her of sleep.

She realized her insomnia returned, apparently her only cure had been Loki's presence.

The sheets tangled around her limbs, the emptiness of the bed feeling so foreign and perverse that she forced herself up from the mattress only to glare down at it.

Resigned with the fact that she would again be sleepless, she made her way over to her dresser before sitting down in front of it. With a determined sigh, she opened the bottom drawer, where Loki's clothes were kept.

Again, she was struck by how odd his exodus had been.

She hadn't heard him.

He had left all of his stuff.

Hadn't even tried to stick around, despite his stubborn nature.

He didn't even have anywhere to go, because she sincerely doubted he returned home.

Initially, she tried to put it out of her mind, telling herself she needed to move on from him.

Get past it.

But now it was truly worrying her mind.

Pulling out the clothes, she refolded them all, stacking them beside her knees. She pulled out a dark shirt he had favored. Gently, she caressed the fabric, remembering the times he had worn it.

How the dark material contrasted against his skin.

The softness against her cheek as she had leaned her head against his shoulder.

Shaking her head, she pulled her hand away.

She rose to her feet and walked to the closet, opening the door before pulling out the hangers from which the rest of his clothing hung. She tossed them onto the bed before beginning to work the hangers free.

He had come to them with only one outfit, so perhaps that was just how he preferred to travel.

Wait.

With a start, she dropped the shirt she was holding and hurried back to the closet. She reached up towards the top shelf, rising up onto her toes to grab the clumped, dark clothes tucked in the corner.

Why she had kept them? She did not know.

Nor was that the point at the moment.

With them in hand, she sat down on the bed, spreading the shrunken clothes out on her lap.

When she had come home from work and found his original clothing unwearable, she hadn't really given it much thought, but now she focused on it.

The strong, yet luxurious material.

The fine quality.

The lack of any sort of tag or distinguishing mark.

As if it was completely custom made for him.

She knew he came from a powerful family, but even tailors put their marks somewhere on the item.

Where had he acquired this?

Sighing, she bunched the fabric in her fists, looking back over at the rest of his clothes.

She had a very bad feeling about all of this.

He had come from no where, with absolutely nothing.

Now he had left the same way.

She knew Loki was a bit strange, but this just wasn't him.

He wouldn't have just left the boys without speaking to them.

She might have hurt him, but he wouldn't have hurt the boys.

He would have never done that.

He loved them too much.

With a groan, she leaned forward and buried her face into the fabric.

What the hell was going on?

* * *

She checked hospitals.

Shelters.

Alleys.

Police departments.

He was no where to be found.

* * *

Another week passed.

Then another.

Betty tried to reason with her, telling her that Loki was a big boy, that he could take care of himself, but every night she would remember his broken body laid out on a stretcher in the hall of the hospital.

No.

While he was an adult, he did not function well in the city on his own.

She'd never forgive herself if he got hurt again.

The boys were in the room for the night, leaving her sitting alone on the couch when the phone rang. She jumped and practically dove for it.

"Hello?"

"_Gracie? It's your mother. I'm just calling to check in_."

Grace shut her eyes against the overwhelming sorrow at not hearing his voice.

"Mom, it's not a good time."

"_What's wrong? You're not pregnant again, are you?_"

She pressed the heel of her palm against her forehead.

"No, I-"

"_Because if you are, that's okay. I know you're not married, but that young man seemed like a real gentleman, and I could tell he really loved you and Jack. He'll do right by you._"

And just like that, the dam broke.

All the tears and anguish over the last few weeks, the pain she had kept shoving deeper and deeper inside of herself came spilling out.

Sobbing, she gripped the phone tighter, her knuckles turning white.

"Mom, I made a horrible mistake."

"_What happened? Are you okay?_"

"No. I was so angry with him. He kept pleading with me, but I didn't listen. I kicked him out and now I can't get him back."

Her mother was quiet for a long time on the phone, waiting until the worst of Grace's weeping subsided.

"_I know how you feel, sweetheart. I felt the same way a moment after you had walked out the door._"

Grace's heart splintered a little bit more.

"I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I put you through that."

"_Well, I deserved some of that pain._"

"What do I do? I keep having this feeling like something horrible is going on, but I'm just so lost."

"_I'm sorry, Gracie, but I don't know what to tell you. I had to wait ten years for you to come back to me. I can only pray to God you don't have to do the same._"

Grace sniffled a bit more before she wiped her eyes with her free hand, praying for the same thing. She had no idea that her mother could have felt the same thing.

"Mom?" she whimpered.

"_Yes, honey?_"

"Thank you. I love you, you know that?"

"_I had my doubts for a long time, but I can't tell you what it means to me to hear you say that again._"

Lifting her head up, Grace noticed Jack standing at the edge of the couch, staring at her with an expression of shocked concern.

"I have to go now, Mom," she said hurriedly, hating that he was seeing her like this.

"_Okay. Call me anytime, all right?_"

"All right. Bye."

Grace hung the phone up and set it on the end table before wiping her eyes again.

Jack continued watching her, his arms crossed in front of him while he clutched a book to his chest.

"Are you okay?" he asked quietly.

"I'm fine," she replied, trying to smile.

"No, you're not."

"I just miss him is all."

Jack came a bit closer, staring down at her.

"What happened? Really?"

Grace was just too tired to fight with him about this again, so she told the truth.

"I lost my faith in him. I had too many doubts and instead of trying to discuss them with him, I persecuted him. I got upset, then he got upset, and everything just spiraled out of control."

"And now he's gone?"

The tears welled in her eyes again, but didn't spill over.

"And now he's gone," she whispered.

Jack sniffled, the sight of his mother's misery distressed him even more than his own pain.

Dropping the book onto the floor, he stepped closer and wrapped his arms around her neck, hugging her tightly. Grace immediately returned the embrace, squeezing him while she pulled him onto her lap.

"It's okay, Mom. Don't cry."

She kissed the top of his head, moved that her ten year old son felt the need to soothe her.

"I'm sorry," she told him. "I know it must hurt you to not have him here."

"It does, but one of the things that Loki taught me is that family needs to stick together. No matter what."

Grace nodded, kissing his forehead before leaning down to pick up the book he had dropped.

"What's this?" she asked, setting it on the couch.

"I stopped by the library to get a book on those gods I was talking about."

"Oh, right. The Viking Gods."

"_Norse_," he corrected leaning over to pick up the book.

And missing the sad smile that came to her lips.

"So what did you learn?"

"Well Thor is the God of Thunder. He's the son of Odin, the Allfather. He carries a hammer, but I can't pronounce the name of it. I don't think I'm going to keep reading it though," he muttered forlornly.

"Why's that?"

Jack was quiet for a moment before opening the book to a certain page and showing it to her.

There, written in bold, was his name.

**Loki.**

"He must have been named after him," Grace commented, flipping through the small book.

"Mom, I don't think he was. I think he _is_ him."

Clearing her throat, she shut the book, not wanting to look at whatever it had to say.

"I think that's incredibly unlikely."

"Just think about it. We found him on top of that car, the roof caved in around him. He didn't know what daily stuff was. He doesn't like Stark, who is friends with the real Thor."

She remembered the look on his face when she teased him about being Asgardian, the look of panic.

Oh God, could it really be possible?

"I'll tell you what I think. I think it's late and it's time for you to go to bed."

Jack groaned, "But Mom, what about Loki?"

"I'll look into it, Jack, but this isn't something you need to worry about. All you need to know right now is that, regardless of who he is, he cares about you and Joey. I'll see what I can find out and as soon as I know something, then you'll know something. Okay?"

Jack eyed her suspiciously before asking, "Promise?"

She smiled gently, cupping his face and bringing it closer to she could kiss his forehead. "I promise, " she swore, releasing him. "Now go to bed."

"Yes, mother," he sighed, getting to his feet.

"And Jack?" He turned to face her. "I love you."

The boy smiled and said, "I love you too."

Grace watched him until he disappeared into his room and closed the door.

As soon as it clicked shut, she got to her feet and went into the bathroom, opening the cabinet and reaching inside.

When Stark had given her his card, she knew she would have to hide it from Loki. He would have reacted very poorly at the sight of it.

So, she naturally hid it where no male ever voluntarily went.

Her box of tampons.

She popped open the box and pulled the card out, gazing at the name and number emblazoned on it.

Stark seemed something of a night owl to her, so it probably wasn't too late to call.

She went into her room and shut the door before sitting on her bed and picking up the phone.

God, she was really going to do this, wasn't she?

With a deep breath, she dialed. It took only a moment before she head a posh sounding man's voice on the other end, asking politely for her identity.

"Grace Stewart. I met Tony Stark at the Expo in Chicago. He gave me his card."

_"Just a moment,_" the voice said.

Grace picked at the edges of the business card, her knee bouncing anxiously as she waited.

A few minutes passed.

The voice came back to ask, _"May I ask why you are calling, Miss Stewart?_"

"Stark told me to call if I wanted to know more about someone."

"_And who is that?_"

She cleared her throat awkwardly before saying, "Loki."

"_Please hold another moment._"

This time she only had to hold for a few short seconds.

"_Miss Stewart_." This time is was Stark's voice on the other end. "_JARVIS tells me that you've finally decided you can handle the truth._"

She winced slightly, despite his joking tone. "Yes."

"_Ideally, I'd like to do this in person. Does he follow you around like a lovesick puppy or will you be able to meet me?_"

Again, she cringed. "I'll be able to meet you, but aren't you in New York?"

_"Now, yeah, but I'll be back in Chicago the day after tomorrow to wrap up a project. Can you be at my office at noon?_"

"Yes. That shouldn't be a problem."

"_Good. I'll see you then. Oh, and Miss Stewart? Leave the boys at home. You'll probably not want them to see this._"

Her stomach dropped.

"It's really that bad?" she asked breathlessly.

"_Just prepare yourself_."

"All right. Thank you."

She hung up the phone and set the card down on the nightstand.

Her chest felt tight from Stark's words.

Whatever this secret was, it was shaping up to be nearly impossible to swallow.

Her only consolation was that soon the mystery would be over.

She'd know what happened.

Then she could hopefully move on with her life.

* * *

Time seemed to be against her, dragging so slowly. She was practically counting down the hours until her meeting.

But finally, it was time.

The boys were sent off to school while she, on the other hand, called off of work.

Grace stood outside the large skyscraper, the card again being played with by her fingers.

It seemed as if it had taken forever for this time to come, but now she hesitated.

What really awaited her inside?

What atrocities had occurred?

Was what plagued her mind merely tricks or no where near the magnitude of reality?

Shaking her head, she gathered herself.

Standing outside wasn't going to solve anything.

She entered the lobby, going up to the main desk.

"Excuse me," she said, "I have an appointment with Mr. Stark."

The receptionist scoffed, having heard that just about every day with it never being true.

Grace frowned at her, but just as she opened her mouth she heard someone else addressing her.

"Miss Stewart?" a woman said, walking towards her.

Grace turned and saw a tall, slender woman with red hair approaching her. "Yes? That's me."

"Mr. Stark is waiting for you. Follow me?"

"Sure."

They got into the elevator and Grace watched the redhead work on some sort of device for a moment before turning her attention to her with a polite smile.

"Sorry about that. We're not here that often, so when we are it's a little crazy at first before we can settle in again. I'm Pepper Potts, by the way," she said in a rush before offering Grace her hand.

Grace shook it while she said, "It's nice to meet you."

The elevator doors opened

She followed Miss Potts out of the elevator and into a large office. Stark was off to the side, hunched over a desk while he fiddled with some sort of holographic image.

"Miss Stewart is here," Pepper said.

Tony looked over before getting to his feet.

"Miss Stewart, how are you?"

"As good as can be expected, I suppose."

Pepper quietly left the room, leaving Grace alone with Stark while he led her over to the desk where he had been working before removing the holograms.

"How were you able to ditch him?" he asked.

Grace hugged her arms around her body and kept her gaze on the desk.

"Um, he uh-," she stuttered before taking a breath. "He hasn't been around much anymore."

"Meaning…"

"Meaning, we split up."

Stark straightened and drew his attention back towards her.

"So you decide to try to find the truth out only _after_ you left him?"

"No. The reason I did is because he wouldn't tell me the truth."

"Well where is he now?"

"No one knows," she said quietly.

"If he's not in the picture anymore, then why are you here?"

"Because I need to know who he is. I have to know if I was justified in demanding to know what he had done, or if I ruined everything for nothing."

"What if it's not that bad?" he asked curiously

"Then I try to find him."

"And if it's so much worse?"

Grace bit the inside of her lip for a moment, considering what he had said. Finally, after a moment of silence, she was able to answer.

"Then I move on, and I don't look back."

Stark nodded, pulling out the chair.

"You may want to take a seat. Since I wasn't exactly around for some of what happened, I'm going to show you."

Frowning, she sat down as he pulled up a few screens.

"Please hold all questions to the end, but don't ask where I got this footage. That's supposed to be classified. The secret government agency gets upset when I spill their secrets."

Although confused by that, she focused on the first screen where security camera footage from a large room was displayed.

_Something bright blue was flaring in the center while people in white coats bustled around with other equipment. A tall, imposing black man with an eye patch came in and talked to a man in plaid. _

_They mentioned a something called a Tesseract, energy sources, and gamma radiation. _

_Another man jumped down from the upper level and joined in on the conversation._

_The blue cube began flaring even more violently before it shot a beam, creating a portal before it exploded out into the room._

_Left behind, on the stand, was smoke and a man._

_Slowly, the man straightened. He was dressed strangely in metal and leather, holding some scepter that glowed like the cube had._

Grace leaned closer to the image, her eyes widening, a gasp escaping when she saw who it was.

He looked sick and drawn, but it was him.

_The man with the eye patch ordered for him to put down the spear._

_After only a moment of consideration, Loki attacked._

_A blue beam shot out from the scepter, guns were fired, knives were thrown, Loki killed by sheer strength._

_In only a moment, he had killed at least seven men._

_While Eye Patch took the cube, Loki pressed the tip of the spear to two men's chest, stilling their aggression towards him._

_Eye Patch went to leave, but Loki's voice stopped him._

"_Please don't. I still need that."_

"_This doesn't have to get any messier."_

"_Of course it does. I've come too far to do anything else. I am Loki, of Asgard-"_

Grace felt as if she was punched in the gut, all the air leaving her lungs.

"_And I am burdened with glorious purpose."_

"_Loki? Brother of Thor," the man in plaid said._

_Loki's expression became annoyed due to the comment._

"_We have no quarrel with your people," Eye Path said._

"_An ant has no quarrel with a boot," Loki replied easily._

"_You planning on stepping on us?"_

"_I come with glad tidings, of a world made free."_

"_Free from what?"_

"_Freedom. Freedom is life's great lie. Once you accept that, in your heart," he swiftly turned and placed the scepter to Plaid's chest," then you will know peace."_

"_Yeah you say peace, but I kinda think you mean the other thing."_

_The other man stepped forward, telling Loki the Eye Patch, Director Fury, was stalling and the place was about to come down on them._

_Soon after, the man shot Fury and they all walked out._

Stark closed the screen.

"So he's a murderer," she breathed, still in shock. "He killed those men in cold blood. Didn't even care… and he's from Asgard. That's a planet! Isn't it?"

"Yeah," Stark muttered, hoping she wouldn't cry. "That portal collapsed. Killed a lot more people."

"Oh God."

"There's more."

Grace looked up at him, afraid of what else would be shown, but still, she nodded and turned back to the screens.

This time the camera was capturing some sort of fancy soiree.

_A man stood at a microphone with music was being played nearby._

_Loki, finely dressed in a suit, came down the stairs behind the podium. With one clean move, he flipped the walking stick and cracked a man across the face with it. Moving forward, he grabbed the speaker by the throat dragging him towards some sculpture before flipping him onto it. He used the walking stick to hold the man down while he pulled some sort of device from the inside of his coat. The device glowed blue and Loki quickly stabbed the man in the eye with it. The man's body twitched, the crowd panicked and ran, all the while Loki looked on with a smirk, enjoying their fear._

Grace covered her mouth with her hands, but couldn't look away from the screen.

_Loki stepped away from the body and followed the crowd leisurely, his clothing changing back into what he wore before, but this time it included a helmet._

The footage changed to a camera of outside the building.

_Loki ordered the crowd to kneel before him._

_After a little more insistence, they did. Copies of himself surrounded the crowd._

She listened to him speak of humanity, of their need for subjugation.

When an old man stood up against him, she pressed her fingers tighter against her mouth.

When Loki aimed at him, she held her breath.

When he fired, she flinched, only sighing with relief when he was protected by the one she knew as Captain America.

_An aircraft hovered, ordering Loki to stand down._

_He fired in response._

_Captain America and Loki began to fight, Loki easily tossing the soldier here and there._

_Soon, Iron Man made an appearance and the fight soon ended, Loki surrendering._

Again, Stark closed the screen.

Grace remained silent as he brought up the next one, this time, however, Loki was in some sort of cell.

_Director Fury walked over to a panel._

"_In case it's unclear. You try to escape, you so much as scratch that glass-" _

_Loki gazed curiously at the opening that appeared beneath the cell._

"_Thirty thousand feet straight down in a steel trap. You get how that works?" Fury closed the opening. "Ant," he said, motioning to Loki before turning back to point to the panel while saying, "Boot."_

_Loki chuckled before saying, "It's an impressive cage. Not built, I think, for me."_

"_Built for something a lot stronger than you."_

"_Oh I've heard," he said, looking into the camera, "The mindless beast, makes play he's still a man. How desperate are you, that you call on such lost creatures to defend you?"_

"_How desperate am I? You threaten my world with war. You steal a force you can't hope to control. You talk about peace and you kill 'cause it's fun. You have made me very desperate. You might not be glad that you did."_

"_Ooh. It burns you to have come so close," he cruelly taunted, "To have the Tesseract, to have power, unlimited power. And for what? A warm light for all mankind to share. And then to be reminded what real power is."_

_Fury started to walk away while he said, "Well, let me know if 'real power' wants a magazine or something."_

Grace then watched as a redheaded woman talked to Loki, asking for a man's life, discussing her background.

She clutched at her throat while Loki taunted the woman angrily, spitting cruel epitaphs at her while slamming a fist against the glass.

The woman seemed to break down, then switched gears, politely thanking him before leaving.

The next scene started with the cell door opening.

_Loki moved to exit before a large blond man went to tackle him, but only went through him and into the cell before the door closed._

_Loki stood outside the cell, arms behind his back, staring disappointedly at the man._

"_Are you ever __**not**__ going to fall for that?"_

_The man, Thor, hit the glass with the hammer, moving the whole compartment._

_Loki laughed before moving towards the panel._

"_The humans think us immortal. Shall we test that?"_

_A man in a suit, carrying an enormously large gun, knocked out another man before asking Loki to move away from the panel._

"_Do you like this? We started working on the prototype after you sent the Destroyer. Even I don't know what it does." He hit a button and the gun lit up. "Do you want to find out?"_

_Suddenly Loki appeared behind the suit, stabbing the man through the chest. Thor shouted. The image of Loki by the panel faded to nothing. Wordlessly, he walked over to the panel and hit the button to drop Thor and the container out of the ship._

_Loki moved to leave, but the dying man's voice stopped him._

"_You're going to lose."_

"_Am I?"_

"_It's in your nature."_

"_Your heroes are scattered. Your falling fortress falls from the sky. Where is my disadvantage?" Loki asked, moving towards the man._

"_You lack conviction."_

_Loki glared and said, "I don't think I-"_

_A bright orange blast erupted from the gun, sending Loki through the wall._

Quickly, Stark ended the scene.

"Sorry. Coulson was a friend. I don't want to see him die again."

She nodded absently, her gaze unseeing while Stark watched her closely for a moment.

"Do you want a glass of water or something?"

Grace blinked, coming back to herself as she turned to stare up at him.

"No thank you."

"Well if you don't mind, we'll go sit over here and I'll do my best to fill in the blanks."

She followed him over to where two comfortable chairs sat by a coffee table. Both of them sat down, but it was another long moment before either spoke.

"What is he?"

"Honestly, it's hard to say. In some circles, he's a god. God of Mischief and Lies, particularly."

"I thought that was just myth."

Stark shrugged.

"What we know for sure is that he's from Asgard, a place where super strong, nearly immortal badasses come from. His actual heritage is a little murkier, but the basics are this. He's strong. He's powerful. He's viciously intelligent, absolutely ruthless, and each of us nearly died trying to take him out… and then there's the magic. You saw the illusions and whatnot. He wanted that cube. I won't get into those particulars, but you heard that he wanted to rule Earth. That cube was apart of it. He killed a lot of people to get it, then when he had it he killed even more to use it."

"He led those things that attacked New York, didn't he?"

"Yes. He was going to lead them against all of humanity."

Grace covered her mouth again, leaning forward as she clenched her eyes shut.

She didn't even know how to process any of this.

How could Loki do this?

How could the man she saw on those screens even be the man who was in her life?

They seemed so different.

But it was him.

There was no question about it.

The man she loved was the one who caused the death of hundreds and a city to burn.

"If it's any consolation," Stark added, "I've had a few run ins with Loki. He's a cocky, evil bastard, but the day at the Expo, he was different. I don't think what he felt for you was a lie. I don't know. He might have changed for you."

Grace cringed but straightened.

She needed to get out of there.

She felt like she needed to shower, to get clean.

This was too much. This was all just too much.

She hadn't signed on for this. She never even wanted a relationship in the first place, but he had drew her in and made her crave him.

The break up was hard before, but now, knowing who he was and what he had done…

She felt sick.

She felt dirty.

What did this say about her? That she loved a man such as him?

What was wrong with her?

"I'm sorry," she said, getting to her feet. "I need to leave."

She moved towards the elevator, Stark following.

"Are you all right?"

She shook her head while hitting the button.

"What are you going to do?"

The doors opened and Grace stepped inside before meeting Stark's gaze.

"Try and forget I ever even heard that monster's name."

Without another word, the doors shut.

* * *

_A/N 2: Well, there's the reveal. I'm not exactly happy about how this chapter came out, but there it is. I wanted to get this posted. Now, before you all freak out on me, I will say this: I do plan on having a somewhat happy ending. Have a little faith. For those of you that reviewed and I didn't respond, THANK YOU! I genuinely love reading what people think of this story. _


	28. Chapter 26: And Still We Fight

_Disclaimer: Not mine._

_A/N 1: Okay, this chapter has some more emotional parts to it, but things are starting to look up at the end of the chapter. Just don't give up on me yet. Okay?_

* * *

There had been whispers, but he had thought they were mere rumors.

In the dark, hidden corners, tucked away from the eyes of authority, they had always cast aspersions.

But nothing stays secret forever.

When Loki had been gone, they hoped for punishment or theorized that he was being tormented deep within the bowels of the keep.

It wasn't until Thor heard members of his father's most trusted guard conspiring together, whispering about the younger prince's despair, his total and complete withdrawal from what he had been, that Thor started to question what was happening on Asgard.

In his very home.

He had gone down to the cells where they usually kept the prisoners, but Loki was not among the usual suspects.

Perhaps it had been mere slander, but still, something dug at his conscience.

Finding his father outside his chamber, Thor approached him.

"Father, I have heard something troubling."

"What news is this?"

"I have heard that Loki has returned to Asgard, may even be being held here. Surely, if this were true, you would have told me, yes?"

Odin stoically gazed at his son and said, "Loki's punishment does not involve you, Thor."

"But he is my brother."

"My treatment of him is not of a father disciplining his son, but of a king sentencing a war criminal. Keep in mind that he is lucky that I did not put him to death."

Thor narrowed his gaze at him. That hadn't been Odin's mentality when Thor went behind enemy lines and nearly started a war that would have caused thousands, if not millions, to die. He had been sent to Earth with a slap on his wrist, but something told him that Loki's fate was not so kind.

Thor had learned his lesson, and he knew that Loki had always been more intelligent, so it would not be ridiculous to assume his younger brother would have picked up on the moral of the story well before he had.

"Loki's crimes were wicked, I know, but he was not in his right mind. I know that the Loki we once trusted and believed in is still within him. The mortal woman drew it to the surface, but if what I have been hearing is true… the damage you inflicted may be irreparable."

"Loki needed to learn the lesson of humility and of empathy, so that is what I gave him. You cannot save him, Thor. He made his bed, it is time for him to lie in it."

Odin walked away from Thor, never seeing the distrustful gaze of the prince.

Once his father was out of sight, however, he looked at the door to the chamber for a moment. He then raised his fist and gently knocked.

"Mother, are you in there?"

A long moment passed before she opened the door, smiling at her son as she always did.

"Thor, what are you doing in this wing?"

"I must speak with you about something of great importance."

"Come in, then."

Thor entered the chamber and shut the door behind him. His mother went and stood by the bed, her hands folded in front of her.

"Mother, are you aware of Loki's whereabouts?"

Frigga slowly tilted her head to the side, as if considering him for a second.

"Yes," she said eventually, smiling soft at him. "Your father mentioned that to me over a fortnight ago."

Thor reared back, betrayal written on his features.

"So long?"

"Your father thought it was best that you do not know."

And what Odin thought was best was always fulfilled through action.

"Have you seen him?"

"I have not. Your father said that I would not want to see Loki in that position, but that it was necessary. Isolation is a key part of whatever he has planned. Do not look upon me as if I am an opponent. I once heard someone say that a wife must support her husband. That is what I am doing, Thor."

Thor angrily glared at her, surprised by her inaction, but still he asked, "Where is he being held?"

"The old cells, within the very foundation, but Thor you cannot go to see him. Odin has forbidden it."

"He is my brother and he is in pain."

"He is being punished," she urged.

"No Mother," Thor said, walking towards the door. "He is being tortured."

As the door shut, the light within the chamber dimmed and the glow that surrounded Frigga diminished, darkening as her body slowly changed. Blackness enveloped her as her image morphed into a sinister form.

In a moment, the tall, cloaked figure loomed over the room, gazing at the door.

All the pieces were on the board now.

The last match could finally begin.

* * *

He had to be prepared.

Thor called Mjolnir to him before starting the journey to the deepest part of the castle. Shadows played across the stone walls, flitting about capriciously, as if teasing him. The air was cold, oppressive with its antiquity. Rivulets of water slithered along the cracks in the walls, making the corridors look as if they were weeping.

The stairs were steep and narrow, but Thor moved slowly, unsure of what he would encounter.

It seemed Loki's incarceration was to take place on the doorstep of the underworld.

After what seemed like an eternity, the descent came to an end.

Stepping around a corner, Thor noticed three of Odin's guards.

"My lord," one said, bowing slightly, "I must apologize, but you are not permitted to be down here."

"Where is my brother?"

"The Allfather has decreed-"

"I do not care what he has commanded! I am here to see my brother, now you can either choose to allow my passage or I can make that decision for you."

The guards glanced at one another. Despite their training, they all knew that, even together, they were no match for the God of Thunder.

Together, they nodded and moved aside, but that was not good enough.

"Return to the surface, your presence is no longer needed here," Thor ordered.

"Yes, sir."

Two quickly moved to ascend the stairs, but one lingered behind the others.

"My lord," he said quietly, glancing nervously around. "There is something you must know before you see him."

"What?" Thor spat.

"Your brother… he is not well."

"Have you been hurting him?!" Thor thundered.

"No! No, sir. No one has laid a hand upon him. His current state was inflicted upon him by himself."

"Explain."

"He does not eat. He does not sleep. He does not even speak to us. I only have a vague recollection of the prince before he left Asgard, but now he is only a shell of his former self. I know you wish to speak with him, but… do not expect much out of him. His mind is lost."

Thor clenched his jaw, fury causing his muscles to nearly tremble, but this guard was not to blame.

"I thank you for your words. You may go."

The guard quickly followed the others.

Thor took a deep breath, trying to release the tension before he continued his journey.

This time, it did not take long before he found the cell.

The dark magic shrouded the entire cavern. Thick black bars caged Loki inside the cell, the other walls were unyielding slate. In the center, a bed had been carved from the rock, but his brother did not rest upon it. Instead, he could see him sitting in the corner, his legs pulled up to his chest, forehead pressing against his knees while his arms covered his head.

Never in his life had Thor seen Loki in such a position.

"Brother," Thor muttered quietly. "What has been done to you?"

Slowly, Loki raised his head at the sound of Thor's voice, his brow furrowed in confusion as if he had never expected to hear it again.

When his face was revealed, however, Thor nearly stepped back at the sight of him.

His pale skin was nearly translucent, his sharp features exaggerated, made gaunt by his starvation. Healing injuries covered his face, but the flesh beneath his eyes were still bruised, testimony to his lack of sleep. The black hair was tangled around his head, mussed from him pulling at it, but the worst was his eyes. His normally vibrant, green eyes looked dead.

"As if you don't know," Loki croaked.

"Of what do you speak?"

Loki pressed his hands to his face for a moment, and Thor caught sight of festering wounds around his wrists.

"When were you bound?" he asked, concerned.

Loki pulled his hands away, glaring over at him.

"Have you forgotten already? Was it so unimportant to you? Or maybe it was a choice. Some days I wish I could forget, forget their faces, their screams. They needed me and I was powerless to do anything so they died, Thor. They're dead because of me. I must face this pain for them. They hurt because of me so I must repay them, I must," Loki ranted quietly, more to himself.

It seemed almost practiced, as if it was recited over and over again.

"Who is dead?"

"My family. They killed them. I asked for help, yet it did not come. Only you did, but you did not arrive in time. How can you not remember when I cannot forget?"

Thor's mind whirled. He knew of Loki's newfound family of humans. As far as he knew they were alive, but he had not checked in weeks. Could something have happened to them?

Did his father have a hand in this?

"Brother, I do not believe they have perished. I would have been notified."

"Were their bodies not enough?" he spat. "You dragged me away from her! I loved her and now she is dead. Does that mean nothing?"

Thor stepped closer to the cell.

"Loki, you must believe me when I tell you that I do not know of what you speak. Your family is fine. That memory of yours must be false."

Loki watched him closely before slowly clawing his way up the wall to get to his feet. He swayed for a moment, then stumbled his way over to the bars, his fingers wrapping around one of them to keep his balance while looking into Thor's eyes.

"Why?" he whispered desperately. "Why are you _lying_ to me?"

"I am not."

"I saw it happen, brother! They tied me to a chair! They took them in the other room and tortured them! I heard their screams. _I still hear their screams._ I begged for mercy. Their blood is on my hands. _So much blood is on my hands._ I prayed for their salvation, but they were murdered, now all I pray for is death. If this grief is what I have caused for so many, then I do not deserve to draw another breath!"

Thor reached through the bars to grasp his brother's arm firmly.

If the magic was not containing him, Thor would have broken him out in an instant.

Loki's misery was consuming him, sucking the life out of him. Thor knew it would not be long until he succumbed completely.

The Allfather had gone too far this time.

"I will fix this, brother. I swear it."

Loki's lips twitched into a brokenheartedly wistful smile.

"No," he mourned quietly. "She is gone. Nothing can bring her back into the world, and even if it did, she would not have me. She did not love me in the end; she thought me a monster, and she was right."

"No, Loki. Monsters do not feel pain; they do not mourn loved ones, nor do they feel shame and remorse for their past deeds. Your actions were monstrous, but you are no monster. Not then, and most certainly not now. Can't you see that something is not right here? This is not like you. You are the clever one. You solve the riddles. You are Loki. Are you truly going to surrender?"

"And what would you have me do?"

"Fight."

"I cannot. Not anymore. It is too difficult."

"Loki, please, you have to have faith; you have to be strong."

"No. I do not believe I have ever been strong. My weakness was what drove me to madness in the first place. My weakness could not save them. All I have ever been is weak. A weak, cruel monster."

"Brother, I am telling you, we are all weak at times. Every being in every realm fails, but we must keep fighting. We must believe that there is hope. You regret what you have done, now you must act on it. Make amends, fight to prove that you are more than your deeds, or I swear on all that I hold dear that you will die in this place. You will die as this monster you claim to be."

"You know not what you speak. I am not worthy of saving," Loki said, about to pull away, only to have Thor tighten his grip and yank him back to the bars.

"I know everything that you have done, because you did it to me!" Thor shouted. "I have watched friends die because of you, I have seen cities fall, you tried to kill me over and over again. I should hate you, but I do not. You are my brother and I love you."

Tears welled in Loki's eyes, hearing such sentiment from him.

"Then let me give everyone what they want. My death will be my recompense."

"No. I will not let you."

Loki pulled away from his brother and walked back to his corner, resuming his position.

"I am sorry, Thor, but sheer force of will cannot save me."

"Then I will bring back what will."

Or more accurately, _who _will.

Turning, he walked away from the cell and started up the many staircases that would lead him back towards the land of the living.

With each step, however, the flames lighting the way seemed to diminish until finally, with a sharp breeze, all the light was extinguished, leaving him in complete and utter darkness.

He froze.

Something moved in front of him, scraping along the stone wall.

His hand tightened around Mjolnir.

"I know who it is you seek," a deep, hoarse voice growled. "Only one holds your brother's heart and with it, his life."

"Who are you? Show yourself!" Thor commanded.

"The Allfather will never allow it. For all your strength and resolve, you cannot leave this realm, not by natural ways, without his blessing,"

Thor frowned in the darkness, unable to hear the creature anymore. It was as if he was listening for smoke.

"And what of unnatural ways?"

The creature laughed quietly, its voice sounding like metal scraping against stone. When it spoke again, it was much closer to him.

"Twenty-four hours. One Earth day. Complete your task or be dragged back as a failure."

"Who are you? Why are you helping us?!" Thor shouted again, only to feel a cold hand press to his head.

"All will be revealed soon enough."

A blue light flashed before Thor's eyes, his stomach tightening as he felt as if he was falling, wind whipped around him, his head spun, limbs refusing to obey his commands.

He expected his landing to be painful, his body to break against the unforgiving ground, but instead he felt himself bounce on something surprisingly soft.

His head continued to ache, ears ringing for a moment.

No.

Not ringing.

Someone was screaming.

Forcing his eyes to open, he saw a young woman next to him scrambling out of the bed he had landed on beside her.

"_What the fuck!?_" she shrieked, tripping over herself and falling onto her ass as she stared up at him with wide eyes.

"I-" Thor didn't even get to finish his thought before the bedroom door swung open and two young boys rushed into the room.

"Mom! What's-" the older boy froze, staring at him while the younger one pushed his way to the front.

"Another alien!"

"Joey! That's no alien," the older boy said in awe. "That's _Thor_."

"Are you well?" Thor asked, still sitting on the bed as he gazed at the woman on the floor. One hand was pressed to her chest while the other was against her forehead.

"No I'm not well!" she spat. "I'm having a freaking heart attack!"

Thor noticed that both boys were still staring at him and ignoring the mother, so it seemed like she was just truly startled.

"I'm Jack," the older boy said, "and this is Joey."

Jack? Joey?

Whatever that thing was that sent him here, it was incredibly accurate. It sent him right to the family.

The woman finally got to her feet, straightening her clothes before staring at him.

"What are you doing here?" she asked much more calmly, albeit warily.

"Is Loki okay?" Jack asked.

"Where is he?" the youngest one questioned as well.

Thor stood, towering above them.

"Loki is not well," he confessed, watching the woman who must be Grace as she dropped her gaze from him and wrapped her arms around herself. "I came for your help, Grace Stewart."

Both boys looked to her, but she only frowned slightly.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly, "but you made the trip for nothing."

"Mom!" Jack shouted, staring at her as if he had never seen her before. "Why wouldn't you help him?"

She looked out the window, seeing the sun beginning to rise, but didn't answer.

"Boys," he said, "may I speak to your mother privately?"

Although Jack didn't want to miss anything, he knew that it was for the best if they left, so he took Joey's hand and led him towards the door.

"But I don't want to leave. I want to see Thor."

"I know, Joey, but do it for Loki."

The youngest one huffed, but relented.

They left and shut the door behind them.

Grace, however, didn't move, just kept staring out the window.

"You know what my brother has done?"

"Yes. Tony Stark showed me the highlights," she replied coldly.

"So you know, but you do not understand."

"What's there to understand? He's a murderer."

"He has killed before. That is true, but that was not him."

"I _saw_ him," she argued, glaring.

"The universe has never been particularly kind to Loki, and so his warped mind did what he believed was necessary to earn himself a place in it. My brother was sick… with anger, with grief… betrayal. I tried to help him, talk to him, make him see what he was doing was wrong, but I was not the cure to what ailed him. _You _were."

Grace winced, but still Thor continued.

"You and your family welcomed him with open arms. You taught him empathy and love, what it means to truly care about someone, to do anything for them."

"I know the story," she said, holding onto her anger.

"Yet you missed the point. You changed him, to his core. You removed all the anger and hatred within him and replaced it with something more. I believe that who he became with you is who he really, truly is. He is loyal and dedicated to you. He loves you, Grace Stewart. More than anything he has ever loved in his life."

She blinked, trying to keep the tears from her eyes.

"I don't even know who he is anymore."

"You are the only one who truly _does_ know who he is. You are the one who saw his acts of kindness, his generosity with you and those boys, his fears and his hopes. They have not changed now that you know of his past."

"But the things he's done… all those people."

"If you believe that he has not been punished for those crimes," he said with a harsh tone, "then you are a fool."

Grace frowned, staring up at him.

"What do you mean?"

"I do not know how my father did it, but I believe he created an illusion of sort, one capable of making an individual believe something is a reality even though it is not, even so much a causing physical damage to the individual."

"What illusion did Loki see?"

"You and your boys were tortured and killed. Loki was there, unable to do anything, unable to save you. He has driven himself mad with his remorse and his misery. Right now, he is wasting away in a cell so dark and underground it is basically a tomb. All he hears is your tormented screams and pleas for him to save you, all he can think about is how he failed you, caused your deaths, and how that feeling is what he inflicted on so many others. He is utterly hopeless and begs for death," Thor muttered before glaring at her. "Is _that_ your justice? Will that pay the debt for what he's done? Will seeing his wasted and broken body appease you?"

"Don't say that."

If appealing to her sympathies would not work, then he would try a different tactic. Hopefully years of watching Loki talk his way in and out of bad situations would finally pay off.

"Why? That is what you want, is it not? For him to pay for what he's done? If you truly believe he is a monster and leave him to his fate, then when he finally perishes, I will bring his body to you so you can rejoice and see what you have accomplished."

"Stop it!" she screamed.

"I will not. You cannot hide from this, Grace Stewart. Loki loves you. He only ever held one thing back from you. Everything else, he gave, and he will keep giving until it takes his life. Think about that. Think about all that you are giving up by turning your back on him. What you two have is once in a lifetime. You bring out the good inside of him, and he has such potential for good, and you do not even care."

"Of course I care!" Grace cried. "I tried to stop! I did. I made him go away and it didn't work. I found out that horrifying truth and it didn't help. I hate it. I _hate_ that it's so hard and that he has hurt me so much. _Goddamnit_, I wish I could wish him dead, but I can't. I wish I could forget him or hate him, but I just _can't_, she sobbed. "I love him. For better, for worse, I do. I don't _care_ if he deserves it. I don't _care_ if it's sick or if it means something is wrong with me. I can't stop loving him, and God knows I've tried. I'm just so tired. I don't think I can do this anymore."

Thor slowly approached her before placing his hands on her shoulders, forcing her to stay upright.

"I will not beg anymore than I already have for you to do this. I only implore you to consider the consequences of your decision, and if you can live with them. I was only given twenty-four hours on Earth. Think about everything. The good with the bad. Then give me your decision. I will give you the room."

Thor released her and quietly walked out.

* * *

Grace sat on the bed for hours.

The room brightened while the sun rose.

Then darkened as it moved overhead.

She could hear the boys speaking with Thor.

Laughing as he regaled them with stories.

Say what you will about Asgardians, but they were good with kids.

The day passed while she thought.

Remembered.

Panicking when he awoke for the first time.

Seeing the vulnerability in his eyes in the hospital, as he had caught her hand gently in his to keep her from leaving him.

Signing his name for the first time, his smile when she had said it.

Jack confiding in him, hugging him while he was in pain. She had said Loki wasn't his father, but she knew he would be if he had the chance.

Even Grace confided in him, telling him of Jack's conception, the pain of her teen years, and all he had done was comfort her. She had punished him for no reason, and yet he forgave her without a moment of hesitation.

She had insulted him the night after the bachelorette party. She had said that he was meant for bigger things, that he would leave them someday. She had asked if he would at least say goodbye. He was so mad at her, and she never would have thought she would be the one to insist on his leaving.

But he had left for a while. Seeing the Stark Exhibit at the museum. The strength of his hatred then had been shocking. He had sneered at her and stormed off, disappearing for hours. Looking back, she now knew the reason for his reaction, but still, even when he returned with the ability to speak, she never made him confess. She had even said she would support him with leaving his past behind him.

And then the wedding had happened, or more importantly, the night after the wedding. It had been everything she could have possibly hoped for. She still got goosebumps thinking about it. It had been one of the most beautiful moments in her life, leaving her with the certainty that she was in love with him.

But then, their house of cards started to fall.

She pushed for more of his background.

Her family wreaked havoc on their stable lives.

She continued taking her anger out on him.

His panic at the thought of being without her.

His violent reaction to her being attacked.

And then the Stark Expo.

The ground had crumbled beneath their feet.

Now, she knew the truth, but her heart still ached for him.

Now, he was far away from her, suffering to the point of absolute hopelessness.

Yes, she was horrified by what he had done, but if his own brother, if even his own enemy, saw the change in him, perhaps what they had hadn't been a lie. Maybe love could really change the soul of one who was forever unloved.

There would still be issues to be resolved, problems to figure out, but she knew, with absolute certainty, that if he died… a part of her would die as well. the boys would never truly recover.

None of them would.

And there was no way she could let that happen.

She was tired; she was emotionally drained, but she had to keep fighting, because that's what she's always had to do.

It would be hard.

It would be painful.

But the best things in life were worth fighting for.

_I would fight like hell for you. I would go to hell and back if you asked me to_.

He wasn't asking, but she'd make the trip anyway.

Getting to her feet, she took a deep breath, her heart feeling just a bit lighter for the first time in weeks.

She left the bedroom and walked down the hall, eventually finding the boys at the kitchen table with Thor.

"Boys, go pack a bag. You're going to go stay with Betty."

Thor looked over at her, a small spark of hope in his eyes. Grace, on the other hand, met his gaze full on with nothing but solid determination.

"Where are you going?" Jack asked.

"To bring Loki back home."

* * *

_A/N 2: And we're off! Thanks again for all the reviews and for sticking with me during this emotional clusterfuck of a story. 700 reviews! Wow! I'm in shock. I know the last few chapters haven't been fun to read, but I really am grateful for those that are still reading. Hopefully you all don't hate Grace anymore. Next chapter: Grace vs Odin! Dun dun duuunnnn!_


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